About the poet:
Vinita Agrawal is the author of four books of poetry. She has edited an anthology on climate change titled Open Your Eyes.
Leaves
The rustling heap of leaves,
yellow and brown
discuss the greens they wore in summer
In the book, the dry leaf.
I stare at its hardened veins
reckoning years of thirst.
On the tree
leaves croon birds to sleep
the moon too lulled to a sickle by the murmur.
For every leaf that falls
a memory is pressed
into the withered bark of time.
Lonely
A soft tread
on a long road
that takes me home.
People everywhere
voices all around
broken chants of hellos
that don’t mean a thing.
Doors have double latches
buildings host dark corners
Lights are too bright
they hide more than they reveal.
I’m handcuffed to solitude here.
Who do I look for
in this lonely city
under these empty skies?
