I Am

By Hafsah Aneela Bashir

The ray of dusty sunlight sneaking through the blinds in the morning, I have woken you

The sudden scent of jasmine among the fumes of diesel and I have made you turn your head

The color of the neon scarf swept by the wind into littered streets is how I caught your eye

Heartbeat quickens and the blush of heat across your face as you fight to deny my existence, you can but try

Lemon scent lingering on your fingers as you crush my leaves, you can only wash me off

Flecks of diamonds glinting across the lakes prompt you to blink me away, you put on your shades

The hot wet kisses of lust you sacrifice at the altar in the night are futile, you can’t hide from me

The flutter in the womb as the packed limbs move, help me start to open the delicate bud of your heart

I am the discarded silky cocoons of the butterflies / the darkest

stain of sappenwood in the bowels of moored ships / I am the

fodder of golden cattle grazing among the dead / the morning dew

hidden among the leaves of dense forests / I am the richness you

cannot see when counting coins / I run through your veins when all

has dried and withered / I am what you wanted me to be and I’m here

The ray of dusty sunlight sneaking through the blinds in the morning, I have woken you

Hafsah Aneela Bashir is a poet and spoken word artist currently completing an MA in Postcolonial Literary and Culture at the University of Leeds. Her poetry has been published by Crocus Books in the anthology, ‘When Saira Met Sara’ bringing together Muslim and Jewish writers. Read more of her work at http://hafsahaneelabashir.wordpress.com/.