Manmarziyaa

Make home in my flaws

in the cracks between my teeth
come slide in your anxiety
let it rot
with someone to call its own

in the swollen cheeks that I call mine
drag your pride along
and let it stay there alone

in the blood clot on my chest
suture in your joys
for what does a lonely soul want
more than to seep into someone else’s happiness?

in the bridge of my nose
where sits the wound from your anger
bandage upon it
everything that makes you frown at 8:00 am

tell me, is it my breath
or is it my eyes
is it the way I wear my dupatta
or is it the fact that I don’t wear any in reality
is it the upper middle class fragrance
or the nose ring I stole from your history

tell me,
why do you not have a key to this home,
only a nameplate to call it yours