Playing God

By Samyukta Raghavan

i don't want to play god again,

burning my hair on a cigarette.

but i probably will;

all i know is i perform a barbaric biopsy

everytime i open my mouth.

stupid surgeon with shaking

fingers. i really shouldn't be allowed

to hold a scalpel.

how much longer will i dig

before i realise a human

is just blood and flesh,

and a heart is just a defeated sparrow.

i am always sea sick, i have never

been on water.

still i tie the old bird

around my neck and wait for them

to say,

"oh you terrible terrible wilfire

what have you burnt down now?"

i didn't burn anything down i was

just trying to light a scented candle

in my bedroom.

i sit quietly and watch the tide

and the sky.

it's always hot, and i'm always half happy.

it's always hot, and i'm an old

sparrow waiting for spring.

it's always hot, and i'm a lazy wildfire

who can't read the room.

midas would've hated me.

i swear to god

i would've burnt him alive.

By Samyukta Raghavan