On Loving Women

By: Sakhi Singh

To walking alongside you when the day is neither here nor there,

to opening FaceTime every night at 11pm,

which is to say that I may not know the right things to say,

I understand I may be lacking in engulfing you in surprise hugs as well,

but I promise you make time stop and the Dilli heat kinder.

If I could I would write every word you say in my notes app,

take photos of every corner, of every street which was bleak before it heard your laughter and

the chime of your earrings.

You’ve taught me about an inexhaustible variety of tenderness,

made jokes about how I come to your home for food and swirling cups of tea with your

mother,

gave me music for every second I felt gloom weighing heavy on my shoulders.

Your smile makes the city shine brighter and a series of broken love turn softer.

I’m still learning how to not lean on my yesterdays like an armour.

I wish to sit beside you when your days become unwanted guests,

when your rage turns to grief,

when the world moves too fast and slow to write about,

I wish to be your peace, just in the way you’ve been mine,

I wish to hold your hand till we reach home.