on grief: unnumbered

we didn’t do anything for your birthday.

well, we fought, which is, i suppose,

the most fitting us. did you

look down upon us and shake your head

or did you turn a blind eye

or did you expect the call across a landmass

worth two oceans

to not go through? did you

celebrate? we had plans for cake;

half-fulfilled —

without your haploid remain,

and wine;

unfulfilled —

because i lack, noticeably,

financial independence. did you

sleep? sing?

read your facts-and-figures

infographic, clickbait articles?

did you check your perpetual email inbox?

did you go peacefully?

By Yuvana Sahi

Image credit: Zoltán Hajtmanszki