Poetry

Nomad


I am the daughter who left
Old parents planting seeds of
Stay
I partitioned their country
And placed a border between us
Like Hindus turning on Muslims turning on Hindus
We hope that our distance is not circular

I am the daughter who left
Lonely father and quiet mother
Raised me like flowers in a neighbour’s garden
Plucked by the hands of a child
Handing them a
Bouquet
Of sadness

I am the daughter who left
Pacing father and busied mother
Staring out the window on the front door of yesterday
Watching as leaves fall
They look for my footprints in the grass
Parched
They sit in their tubewell

I am the daughter who left
Echoes of my laughter
Like a house haunted by my absence
Father sighs in the sun
All he sees is
Shade
My smile like dewdrops vanished
In the afternoon sun

Rachna Vohra is a Montreal-born poet, writer, and spoken word artist. Her published works include "The Distance Within" and "The Acorn and the Caterpillar", and her poetry has been featured in Inscribed; The Pedestal Magazine; Cahoots Magazine; and is forthcoming in Panoply.