By Bhuwan Thapaliya
PROMPT — If only ...
She waited for him
at the dinner table
long after
the dinner time
had passed.
She’d been
fooled by him.
He took
the last flight
beyond
the blue sky
and never
came back.
High cheek bones
and with quaky eyes,
she is
waiting for him,
holding
a cup of masala memories.
Clotheslines hang about
in the darkness
and there is light
only in his room.
His cupboards
all open,
a stack of folded,
crumpled clothes
waiting
to be ironed
gives
a convivial look.
The dustbin
in his room
empty.
It has kept
its secrets.
A housefly buzzed
around the room
and then sat on the side
of his picture frame
on the wall.
She reached out
and chased it away
out of the room.
Bhuwan Thapaliya was born in Kathmandu, Nepal and is the author of four poetry collections. His poems and articles have been widely published in journals and periodicals such as Kritya, Foundling Review, FOLLY, The Journal of Expressive Writing, Trouvaille Review, Pendemics Literary Journal, Pandemic Magazine, The Poet, Litehouse, Valient Scribe, Strong Verse, Jerry Jazz Musician, Countercurrents.org, Ponder Savant, Mindful of Poetry – Page for Africa, asianamericanpoetry.com, Poetseers, International Times, Taj Mahal Review, Poetry Life and Times, VOICES (Education Project), Longfellow Literary Project, Poets Against the War, Mahmag.org (Magazine of arts and humanities), InnerVisions by Jay, The Sound of Poetry Review, The Kashmir Pulse, Publiknama, Ibex Press Year's Best Magazine, rave utopia, The Camel Saloon, STREET VOICE #5, Merak Magazine, Poetry and Covid: A project funded by the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council, University of Plymouth, and Nottingham Trent University, among many others.