After Zaina Alsous

Inside the eyes is a river. Inside the river, some loose fragments of tree 
Inside the tree, fish skulls, salt buried in the chest of the earth, unnamed 
Forgotten lovers. Inside the lovers, a sea of sorrow. Inside the sea, young 
Men drowning in the bloom of youth looking for bread  and tasting citrus.
Inside the men, a woman’s broken anatomy. Inside the woman, a lifelong 
Of yearning, hanging cliffs, grief stuck in the gaps of their teeth. Inside the 
yearning, a botanist’s plantation theory. Inside the theory, a recipe of 
remembering. The thing is I never wished to go knocking door to door 
Looking for the bones of the dead. I never really wished to surrender my softness.
I just kept staring at the eyes for too long. I was spilled through seeds. I 
kneeled to kiss the pupil and steadily sank it. 

Sehar is a poet, freelance writer, and design student who is currently based in Kolkata, India. Her work has appeared in The Hooghly Review, Gulmohur Quarterly, Broken Antler Magazine, Livewire (The Wire), Poems India, The Alipore Post, India Film Project, and Remington Review among others. She loves to read about cultures, folklore, and anything that lies at the intersection of art and tech. She is passionate about environmental causes