Khan, Ayesha

English

DigitalCommons@C.O.D.

The Prairie Light Review Volume 45 Number 1 Fall 2022 Article 78 Fall 12-1-2022 Love Full of Loving Ayesha Khan College of DuPage Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.cod.edu/plr Recommended Citation Khan, Ayesha (2022) "Love Full of Loving," The Prairie Light Review: Vol. 45: No. 1, Article 78. Available at: https://dc.cod.edu/plr/vol45/iss1/78 This Selection is brought to you for free and open access by the College Publications at DigitalCommons@COD. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Prairie Light Review by an authorized editor of DigitalCommons@COD. For more information, please contact orenick@cod.edu. Kathryn ParentiIt’ll be okayGouache on BoardLove Full of  LovingAyesha KhanI sit at the kitchen table,Separating each pomegranate seed from the other.It’s messy work, but you don’t like spending too much time on it your-self.“Too much effort” (I wither away)You like the roses in the vase beside your bed,The ones I spent an hour cutting the thorns off  from.I am good at separating and cleaning up,641Khan: Love Full of LovingPublished by DigitalCommons@COD, 2022Kathryn ParentiIt’ll be okayGouache on BoardThe blood from my hands as I try to pry you away from my beating heart.The sunflowers we saw at the farmers market,were too big and obnoxious for our apartment.“I don’t even like sunflowers” (they’re my favorite)Today I went to return the lemons I bought andThe sundress my mother gave me yesterday.Next month you are buying a new flat,One preferably without the sunroom I spend all my time in. As the sky meets the grass around us,I feel like I might just say it, on this picnic I dragged you to.“Can we go home?” (the words die in my throat)On the way back, I stare down at my hands,The blue green veins criss crossing their way to my heart.I look up, free falling into your green eyes,the ones that sparkled when I showed you my blue nails.You love it when I do as you demand ask.The traffic cones narrow the roads a bit too much,Cars getting stuck and us being late to your game.“Pass me something to eat” (I speed up peeling an already half-peeled orange)As the sun sets and the traffic grows,I can sense an incoming early dinner row.News of  California fires burst out of  the car radio,And somehow I can feel the heat close.Doves fly above us as we walk through the city,Window shopping is one of  my favorite things to do.“We’re not stopping for anything” (but I already knew that)A wedding dress catches my eye, too pretty, too much,Almost as soon as you pull me through the parking lot.Peace and death. Love is truly blind. Colors, emotions, people and patterns,They whirl around me as I get dizzy.Love (please call an ambulance), I want to say.The alarms scream from inside,And all I can see is you as I blackout.652The Prairie Light Review, Vol. 45, No. 1 [2022], Art. 78https://dc.cod.edu/plr/vol45/iss1/78

Love Full of Loving

https://dc.cod.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6170&context=plr

Love Full of Loving

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