Kite

art work by ariyana

You reeled me close to you once
To youth's arced flame
Then flung me to the winds.
I float on air, and laugh — a spring breeze
You pulled me back on an invisible string, then let go
Oh God how you toyed with me
You voyager of my depths!
Kite strings cross-cutting each other
Snapped me free from the spool
Liberated and carefree, doubts gone
On tornado-typhoon-cloud-lightning winds
I drift and drift...
Seeing me sail by neighbourhood boys
Gather on rooftops-fields-lanes
To pluck me if they can...
Rashida Sultana is a Bengali writer and poet. Khademul Islam is literary editor, The Daily Star.