4 A.M

By Ritisha Nair

It is 4am

I haven't slept yet

My grandfather sends me a good morning message

Like he does every morning

He's probably feeding their temperamental cat right now

My grandmother will wake up soon

Their house-

The one I spent so many summers in

Losing my baby teeth

Tripping on stairs

Eating home grown mangoes-

Will smell of the tastiest coffee in the world

The walls will sing along with my grandmother's prayers

That are so fervent I'm sure

God puts his zoom call on mute

Leaves his desk

Just to sit and listen to her sing

Meanwhile I'm sitting here

In my apartment that my tongue refuses to call home

In a city so far from the verandah of my childhood

Wishing her prayers would travel to me

Pull me to their lap

Just like she used to

And sing me a lullaby

So I can dream of summers and mangoes again.

By Ritisha Nair