ilma qureshi

sun-blue dreams

florets beam with a green i have never seen
someone squished an orange,
and rubbed it all over the sky
October night, quiet, lets the moon burn
in a strange auburn
if you hear, there is always a crossroad:
should I sit and think in words
or should I dance to the slow hum of the world?
the slow hum that turns to sea bubble if you pay no attention
and froths into a wave if you listen

choose living, if you can
for the orange will turn into grey in no time
the bird that is lost, with moonbeam eyes,
will never reach home,
the drama of the day
the play that unfurls over the sky—disappears-- after a while
and when you lie in bed,
the question will beseech
what have you done, with wild ocean of your heart
and the glitter of your starfish dreams?

__________

About the author

Ilma Qureshi is pursuing her doctorate at the University of Virginia, focusing on Persian poetics and South Asian Literature. Hailing from Multan, a small town decked in south Pakistan, she grew up with a host of languages and writes in Persian, Urdu, and English. Her work has appeared in various literary journals such as The Roadrunner Review, Quillkeeper’s Press, Streetlight Magazine, Tafheem, Tareekh-e-Adab-e-Urdu, Active Muse, The Ice Colony, Rigorous Magazine, Tiger Moth Review, Poetry South, Last Leaves, Audio Times, Wingless Dreamer, and others.