Poem by Rhea Nath

“She Has Fairydust Underneath Her Fingernails”

She is nothing like me. More often than not,
I grin at our differences. Every time she starts a
conversation that disinterests everyone at the table
and they exchange those sly, amused grins,
I secretly relish the fact that their glances
are not because of me.

But every once in a while, I look at her,
really look at the sparkle in her eyes as she rambles
and how bloody oblivious
she is to their glances
and it dawns on me that
she might just be better off
than the rest of us…

Her passions are tingling off her skin like tattoos.

Watch how those fingers move-
she writes something in the air
that only fairies would understand,
a personal conversation with the universe
that we are not yet privy to.

I wonder if the invisible souls of the universe
are exchanging glances amongst themselves, amused
by how we are so oblivious to the wonder
that is her.

No multiplicity in her being,
no layers to peel to know
what is underneath
for she flaunts it
in the whiteness of her teeth
and loudness of her voice-

If people were clay, I’d be going
round and round the wheel forever,
moulding to find the right shape
while she got it right on the first go.

Rhea Nath currently resides in Pune, India. She is in her second year of a four year liberal arts program majoring in Literary and Cultural Studies at FLAME University. When she isn’t making spontaneous road trips to Bombay or taking selfies with her dog Cesar, she enjoys listening to music, reading and dancing. She hopes to write children’s novels and publish a collection of poetry but until then, she has contented herself with ranting on Tumblr.

Glenn Bowie is a published poet, lyricist and photographer from the Boston area. He also owns and operates an elevator company that supplies custom-built elevators for clients from New England to Hollywood. Author of two poetry and photograph collections (Under the Weight of Whispers and Into the Thorns and Honey) on Big Table Publishing, he donates all profits from his books to various charities for the homeless and local animal shelters. Glenn is also the official photographer for the Newton Writing and Publishing Center.