Fears in Heaven
.
My father asks me to call him
by his first name which is Ali
because we are, after all
now the same youthful age
It feels extremely odd
when this devout Muslim
politely asks me to join him
for a stiff drink, or two
He asks me if I want
to take any of his virgins
because it is his plan
to stay with my mother
I ask him if he is certain
whether she wants to do that
and he betrays his doubts
with an uneasy crooked smile
So here we stand with our
drinks, anxious and awkward
but knowing we have time
to settle into eternal dullness
.
by S. Abbas Raza,
September 10, 2014