Do you feel comfortable beneath the wet soil in your backyard?
Clammy hands dig deep into the grainy and muddy soil,
worms slithered on your fingers,
and nails painted with ashes.
If I had never met you in August’s gloomy grey,
I wouldn’t have buried three crows beneath the pine tree.
Do you remember the time when I put you in a fragile glass bottle made from our memories?
Memories of your eyes locked into mine for the first time,
Memories of gentle eyes hidden behind thin glasses,
Memories of your blue shirt,
Memories of your sweet smile towards me,
Memories of your chest falling up and down while you slept on the bench,
phone held tightly to your chest after you called your childhood sweetheart.
I remember the vast, hollow night skies shimmered with thousands of fireworks,
and we danced beneath the fiery fireworks until the somber sky rolled up and took you away from me.
If I had never met you, the smear of red from my lipstick on your lips wouldn’t be fading away in the rain.
Do you feel comfortable knowing how much I love you?
Although I know your heart always longed for the other dove to fly.
Do you feel comfortable beneath the scythe that lies snugly on your neck?
I got hooked on the desire,
the adrenaline,
the greed,
the carnality,
of ending our passion and turning it into ashes.
Author: Kenar Syalaisha Kanayana
Editor: Nanda Pratama Putera Tomasila, Vonna Meisya Saputra (QC)
Illustrator: Angelita Dayang Diva