Unseen Eyes

By Navni Patni

i feel my head pounding, 

it hurts, it thrums, 

with survival instincts on the line. 

i feel my hands flickering, 

they shiver, they tremble, 

as i fight for a last gasping breath. 

i feel my ears ringing. 

they scream, clouding 

every inch of empty expanse with things i can’t hear, things i choose not to, 

things they imprint on paper. 

things they etch on texts. 

things they engrave in crevices in my brain. things they said, 

like i wasn’t good enough, 

or that i shouldn’t even try. 

they said they don’t know who i am, 

and i said, nor do i. 

i drift to a serenade of silence, 

in a masquerade gilded with fool’s gold, under clinks and blinks of chandeliers overhead, as shrouded phantoms feebly caress my soul. 

wearing layers upon layers of fabric, 

they act as shields. 

they cling to glistens on my heart, and 

they’re stitched with sweat, 

they’re salted by tears, 

they’re sewn by blood, 

over my wrath, over my fear. 

nevertheless, i bear my arms open, 

and i pull their fondled limbs close. 

they clench their thoughts and their lips, after all, only they ground me most.

By Navni Patni