Despite the various ways of erasing a name, the body never forgets,
Like the ocean taking to bed, men and their stories,
Where neither skeletons remain, nor hulls,
All things reduced to salt, sand, and echoes
Trapped in shells
Listen
Listen closely
Do you hear them cry?
I wonder how drowning feels like
No, not in misery, or grief or loneliness
(Can one drown in happiness?)
But the cold hands of the ocean
Tugging at your clothes
Filling your lungs
With its icy tongue
An unquenchable lover
Wanting all of you, all of you,
Wearing you down
Wanting to wear you, as you are
Your skin pierced with its salt
All the blood in your flesh
Turned upside down
Emptied of heat, life, land
And spreading her legs
Even further
She spears you, eviscerates you, feasts on your life shunned husk
Now only depthless dark silence
Heavier than the grief left behind.
And yet,
Despite the various ways of erasing a name, the living never forget,
Like this body crumbling at the echoes of your flesh lingering in my skull.
Shivani Kshirsagar is an artist, who believes in the power of stories, Universe and YouTube recommendations (even though she has watched The Social Dilemma). In other news, she has a lovely newsletter called Dear Love (because at your best, you are love) brought to you by Tiny Letter (tinyletter.com/girlwiththemane). Speaking of girlwiththemane, that's how she's known on Instagram and WordPress too.