A Woman Scorned

By Aditi Singh

The scorching sun, your crimson ride

Once foot in front of other as I walk

Into the unknown mouth of madness

The closer I get, the clearer it comes to be

I expected you, not the stranger in your company

Seated where I once sat

The beating flesh inside me sinks

The moment I meet your eyes behind the windscreen

My eyebrows furrow as I slam the door

Of your beloved dead piece of metal

Abruptly I get a whiff of

Booze fused with sweat

You don’t spare me as much as

As gentle glance

Clearly, the man beside you

Holds attention

The voices blur as I notice his hands

Dirt beneath the nails

Gripping the headrest before me

I can’t help but scrunch my nose

Sick beyond imagination

Theatrical, I wonder for some reason

Your performances surprise me so

Despite being on the tip of

My parched tongue

There’s a hollow drumming of wings

In my ears, as we reach closer

To home

Our home

I had offered you a nightlight

Ages ago

Which you just shattered

For the millionth time

I clutch the keys in my whitened palm

Jumping out of the cracked oil painting

I’ll be back soon, you shout

Looking behind my dropping shoulders

I gift you my contempt, meeting your eyes

The same eyes, which saw a smile

Just an hour ago

By Aditi Singh