Raindrops by Kunjal Saraswat

Raindrops Kunjal Saraswat Raindrops shine under warm lights.I notice it for the first timeAs I sit here—Two hours deepInto this nightWith the rain.Well, not just the rain.It brings its companions:Thunder,Lightning,Showers,And storms.Tonight, it’s a stormy rain.The wind is wild,And the glass of my balcony shuttersShudders under its weight.I sip my coffeeAnd keep penning my poetry—This one is about sorrow,About giving up,About the reality of life:Death.Behind me, the music swells.The rain’s pattering grows louder,And the glass keeps trembling.My windowIs not strong enoughTo protect me.It doesn’t knowThat I writeWhat I accept in life.I’m a writer.I don’t need protection.A simple hole in the groundIs enough for my sleep.The trembling stops.A smile creeps onto my face,As if I knowWhat comes next.The glass shatters.Large shards fly toward me,Pricking my legsOne after anotherUntil the whole paneIs embedded in my flesh.Still, my pen glides smoothlyAcross the page.My coffeeIs still warm enough to drink.I’m vulnerable now—To the storm,To the ache.Lying here,Wrapped in warm lights.Penning my poetry and having coffeeWith large pricks embedded in my flesh.I feel dizzyAs blood flows down my beige sofaThe stain will last forever.As I reach the final line,My pen gives out—No more ink.And I doWhat any writer would do:Leave behind a masterpiece.I grab my inkpot,Take a feather,And dip itInto my soaking blood.If the stain remains,Let it mark my diary too.I finish my poem.The last line reads:“For as long as it takes,I shall waitFor my beloved—My demise—With a smile.”The feather slipsFrom my lazy hand.And as I shut my eyes,I notice the rain again—And for the first time,I realize:Raindrops shine under warm lights. More from Kunjal Saraswat ↓@_heart_cuddles_ on InstagramMentioned in this episode:Write After with One Poem OnlyWrite After is a way to encourage poets to listen and write, and use National Poetry Month to highlight how listening to poetry makes us better poets. I know I write the best when I’m surrounded by beautiful poetry–it’s part of the reason I created this podcast, and I want to encourage others to share this practice. If you want to join: Listen to a poem from the month of April on One Poem Only, then write your own in response. I will pick one for each day to read in June for a special series: One Poem After 🍎🍏 Submissions close May 15.Write After Submissions Form