"Waves" by Joanna George

Swarming vibes of hope I seldom thread from this swelling beach of Chennai –

The Marina, shore lined by families and friends, lovers and kids.

I remember that final day well-spent watching the blue of this sea,

constantly lashing its complaints on the shores

erasing every name written, every foot that dared to mark a print.

I let the taste of its marine breath dig into the pores of my warm skin,

A quick kiss by the land breeze.

The sand-like sparkling stones mined from the blue vastness

covered my cracked feet - an intimate sandal shining in the noon sun.

I watch the waves rush from strange distances, to fall on top of each other,

giggling and gurgling over their prude prank of

slipping soil bringing people

standing by the margins of the shore to their waters.

Now tell me, did you hear their loud laughter and silly jokes too?

After throwing back that garbage back to the shore,

carrying with them few slippers and bodies too? Did you hear them?

What else did you feel then, that day with me?

Tell me I’m all eager to know,

The wise whispers of Mairna waves.

Was it the ageless story of their twisted love?

Or was it of the pain –

of holding everything that was once considered lost?

I'm Joanna George, a student at Pondicherry University, India, who spends half of my time over cups of chai speculating about life and photovoltaics. However, I write for putting the weight down, catching a wisp of hope in this mundane life and over the last years my poems have been published in literary journals such as Honey Literary, Parentheses Journal, Borderlands: Texas Poetry Review and recently four of poems were short-listed for the Isele Poetry Prize.