Trickster

By Shubhangi Anuragi

it happened again but

I tell myself 

not everything is a sign

the anxiety and fear is not a spark

but my poetry runs on hope

my life glides through crisis ON it

should I not hope?

what do I do? because 

I met a liar

i was fine

i met a liar

now im smiling

he's seamless

im not doubting

he opened all the doors

but who's counting?

he was tall like an oak

yet wrapped me more

with his cons

he ruffled my hair

got to the old me

when i asked him about it

'i got more tricks up my sleeve,"

he told me

didn't think

more than the experience

its aftermath would mold me

I am sorry I let him hold me.

the tricks felt like magic

trickster dressed like a magus

I love how I loved

but hate how i trusted

I'm not the exception

I’m the rule

and the rule says,

if he talks about a future

you can think of  having one

when he asks for your number

you can save his

when he shields you from the sun

you can lean in

so no I'm not the exception

I'm the rule and 

the rule also says

if he doesn't get back

he got somewhere else

if he fails to text back

he forgot about you,

not the text

no one died

he didn't lose his charger

or got caught up in work

THIS is a sign

not the status update

you see first,

thank the algorithm 

I met a liar

I'm frowning 

old meaningless words

found new meaning 

and made me flinch

the second time on hearing

By Shubhangi Anuragi