By Rizwan Saleem
The ebbs and flows
Cold winter winds blow
Across the oceanic world
No land to see, nor harbors to call
The loud silence of doomed souls
Black gulls take to air
Round and round they fly in evil circumambulations
No sound through truculent clouds
Of promised rain and storms
And what is left behind?
And what is forward for?
A requiem powers the sails
Sung soft and low
Come by night or day
By air or by sea
Come solo or in droves
But be warned that none leave
Your belongings packed before the journey was charted
With hopes and ounces of faith that were stored
Paper invocations floated back down from heaven
Have trailed here to be buried, amongst you
This place where God will never be
And no prophets or messiahs to set you free
Rank upon rank, file after file
Men with crosses to bear
Of mistakes and unfulfilled best intentions
Come hither friends and foes
A choir of unholy spirits rejoice
Usher to your new abode
Come by night or day
By air, by sea, or on knees
Beware though, that none leave
Because there is nowhere else to be
Welcome to you, friends
To the island of shattered dreams
Rizwan Saleem is a Banker based in Dubai, UAE. The thoughts and expressions detailed in his works are of his various escapades suffered through life, and of the profound surprise of having survived long enough to pen them into words. His poems and prose have appeared in anthologies Twenty Seven Signs by Lady Chaos Press, Self Portrait Poetry Collection by Silver Birch Press, E fiction India, Scarlet leaf Publishing as well as Colors of Refuge.
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