Love That Flighty Djinn Poem by Deepa Agarwal

I would have liked to live forever within
the opaque glass walls of your love. Seeing the world
through misty eyes. The sun's heat
softly tempered to my back. The rain,
a distant, soothing patter. Not a drenching torrent
churning rivers of mud and slime
to drown in. But
the mist holds demons. Their cries
will not be stilled. And glass is fragile
Even a single stone﷓ ﷓ carelessly flung
can shatter this sanctuary we built
You and I﷓ ﷓
out of the power of our dreams
this vaporous castle
which can stand﷓ ﷓
only till the magic lasts.

Loving, my faltering steps take root
reaching, touching
my heart, a wing, a feather
caressing you. All night…
your warmth filling me. Battling
the shuddering dark
that waits, a patient hungry dragon

But…
love, that timid bird
that flighty djinn. Comes
to roost only when it wishes
Not in response to my call
or yours
No matter how urgent the need
No matter how desperate the hour.