like a cat with no name,
I knit on into the darkness.
When the wind howls without
and my feet stay within,
I bow low into the darkness.
Just a quiet prayer
on a winter breeze,
for the homeless body and soul;
just a merciful thanks
on nights like these,
for the warmth of a roof
and the snug of a bed
while over by the River Cam,
the evening star lies ahead.
Lamp lit, soul lit,
still the sad love persists,
so I bow deeper into the darkness.
© Shaista Tayabali
for Dverse Open Link night
It's Thanksgiving today, a festival with a complicated origin. Perhaps most of our stories that are now celebratory once had a darker beginning. And so perhaps it also goes, that the darker narratives of today will have a happier light filled future, someday. We are nothing if not hopeful beings, even in our tragedies. When I don't hold hope, you hold it for me. And when your rope is frayed, I shall hold hope for you. In the meantime, speaking of cats and sadness and beauty, here is my mother's latest portrait of our friend Hannah and her car Thea, her soulmate, who passed away this year...
This is incredibly evocative, Shaista! Loved hearing you read your poem out loud tonight 💝 thank you so much for joining in.
ReplyDeleteI was just wondering how you are....so happy to see you posting. Your mother's painting of your friend and her lovely cat is so moving. How completely wonderful. Your poem echoes the sorrow I carry within me, for all of my sunny and hopeful nature........we are made of joy and sorrow, both, and yes, gratitude, for a cozy bed, a roof, shelter, when so many do not have it. As always, your words uplift and inspire me and I applaud your transcendent nature, and the grace with which you live. Shine on, my friend.
ReplyDeleteA beauty of a piece and I enjoyed hearing of its inspiration during the live reading. You read it beautifully; such an incredible piece of writing! I am blown away at the imageries here. Fantastic work. These few lines were my favorite:
ReplyDelete"and the snug of a bed
while over by the River Cam,
just the evening star lies ahead."
Wow.
Wonderful to see and hear you at the DPP OLN video chat. Lest we forget our small blessings and victories, your poem is a lovely reminder.
ReplyDeleteI love this:
ReplyDelete"We are nothing if not hopeful beings, even in our tragedies. When I don't hold hope, you hold it for me. And when your rope is frayed, I shall hold hope for you."
A comforting read in these times of darkness and grief.
ReplyDeleteIt's always a pleasure to see and hear you at OLN Live, Shaista, and I was also glad to know that you’re not too far away from me geographically. You were saying about the temperature last night – this morning I’ve been wrapped in my blanket with a hot water bottle under it! You’re so right about us being hopeful. As a human who belongs to two cats, I love your mother’s painting of your friend and her cat, the opening lines of your beautiful poem, and ‘the snug of a bed’.
ReplyDeleteI, too, like that snug-a-bed stanza, but your closing 3lines totally nailed this outstanding work, Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThis brought tears to my eyes ~~ last week a homeless man froze to death behind a building in our smallish city ...
ReplyDelete'when the wind howls without and my feet stay within I bow low into the darkness.'
I love the mystery of your sad love that draws you in deeper and deeper with no end in sight!
ReplyDeleteLoved hearing you read this beautiful poem! :)
ReplyDelete