Starwords

Sumera Saleem

May 6, 2021

Meanings spring from Spring growing deep inside,

Though words wither on the tongue of my desert-heart.

Friendship heals slow souls like yours and mine,

Like dawn’s light shadow bidding darkness depart.

To feel death, just scratch the flesh of desire.

To master loss and grief, first learn to find

That which cools the greed, the burning fire,

For eyes stuck to treasure, often go blind. 

Stuffed in night’s hand, stars are polished nails.

My window frames a bold pattern in the dark.

I wonder how well they follow God’s trails,

Like angelic scribes tracing his mark.

Love is not love when it erases all pains.

My eyes are never eyes free from the rain.

Sumera Saleem is a lecturer in the department of English language and literature, Sargodha University, Sargodha and gold medalist in English literature from the University of the Punjab for the session 2013-15. Her poems have appeared in Tejascovido, Langdon Review published by Tarleton State University, USA, Blue Minaret, Lit Sphere, Surrey Library UK, The Text Journal, The Ghazal Page, Pakistani Literature published by Pakistan Academy of Letters, Word Magazine. A few more are forthcoming in international and national anthologies.