This Town, by Saad Ali

Lunar night on the Black Sea, by Ivan Aivazovsky (Russia) 1859

This Town
for Monika Pisniak

1.        
 
Exposed to the whispers
     of a gazillion constellations,
as the sea reflects the tranquility
     of the crimson moon tonight,
 
the back and forth play
     of the waves continues,
and a dozen sea shells
     converse with the toes
 
of my bare feet
     cradled in the bosom of sand:
“how many sound years
     before you may be reached?”
 
2.
 
Immersed in the centripetal
     and centrifugal of reminiscing,
I cannot resist returning,
     for the serenity of the scenery
 
is too compelling:
     inquisitive blue eyes,
cherry red lips,
     golden locks,
 
our favourite Spanish wine,
     folklores from favourite places,
sun bathed souls,
     endless kisses.
 
3.
 
     We were poles apart,
and you wished for me
to retreat to Tatras with you.
 
      I could only send a love letter:
 
               up there, out there,
              when wrapped in the white dust,
              under the mesmerising shower
              of shooting stars
              —initiated by the muse,
              making wishes:
              wishing for the wishes
              to be grander than the wishes--
              blow wind a whisper,
              sprinkle it with star dust,
              and let the hissing wind
              entice our senses,
              and I will know
              you are here.
 
     You could only send a lover letter:
 
              your scent on my skin,
              it doesn’t wear off.
              If I could only hold you,
              I would tell you
              how much you mean to me.
              Near me, there aren’t many,
              who I can relate to
              —reflect and extend myself to--
               I’ve found you,
              but you’re so far away,
              as if in a different universe.
              I wish you were
              only a thought, a word, an echo away.
 
4.
 
      Beyond rectification now.
      I should’ve abandoned this town
a long time ago.

Saad Ali
​
Saad Ali was born in Okara, Pakistan in 1980 C.E. He has been brought up in the UK and Pakistan. He holds a BSc and MSc in Management from the University of Leicester, UK. He is an existential philosopher-poet, and has published three books of poems (so far) i.e. Ephemeral Echoes (AuthorHouse, 2018), Metamorphoses: Poetic Discourses (AuthorHouse, 2019) and Ekphrases: Book One (AuthorHouse, 2020). By profession, he is a Lecturer, Consultant and Trainer/Mentor. Some of his influences include: Vyasa, Homer, Ovid, Attar, Rumi, Nietzsche, and Tagore. He is fond of the Chinese, Greek and Arabic cuisine. He likes learning different languages, travelling by train and exploring cities on foot. To learn more about his work, please visit www.saadalipoetry.com.