by Akasha Weeratne
In this tranquil moment, the sound of our silence is deafening.
Louder than the rhythmic thumping of my heart,
I gaze at you gazing at the stars.
Your eyes are aglow with a luminous sparkle as if your dreams are emanating from them.
You are the man who adored the stars so passionately that their twinkle intensified whenever you were near.
They gently kiss your head at night, while you long for a better life.
And as I stand there, I realize that those dreams don’t involve me.
I’m nowhere in your mind, but I try to creep into your soul.
I only want a piece of you.
To see those little moments of your life.
The wrinkles that form when you smile, the way your nose flares when you are confused, to the sound of your voice.
Its rough husk but gentle inflection.
I often envy the stars.
They kiss your cheeks so softly,
Sending stardust to you at night, watching over you,
And your gentle face as your chest rises and falls.
I envy the stars.
They get to have you even when you leave this earth
And become one of them.
Akasha Weeratne is a student at CUNY’s LaGuardia Community College. She is an activist, poet, and actor who was born and raised in New York City. Her background is a mix of Latinx and West Indian heritage. Akasha’s love for writing began at a young age, serving as an outlet for her to express her thoughts on generational trauma, sexual violence, and colonization. She sees writing as an opportunity to create art in a world dominated by Western ideals and eurocentric standards. She aims to unify her culture through her writing and amplify voices of other marginalized groups.
Image, “NASA’s Webb Telescope Captures Dying Star’s Final ‘Performance’ in Fine Detail” by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. CC BY 2.0 DEED Attribution 2.0 Generic.
