In stories that linger
In stories that linger,
I find my happy place.
To the tales, I tinker,
brimming in desire for solace.
Let me! Hear my call;
Allow me to dive and fall.
A hero’s journey or the death of a mentor,
A lover’s wrath or a chosen one,
Journey to a castle or the earth’s center,
Happily ever after or flying too close to the sun,
From epilogues to all-consuming ends,
Protaganists wearing hero’s garbs are not our friends.
In stories that linger,
I find my happy place.
I question the tropes that trigger,
the one truth we face -
That in the embrace of love destined to cease,
One day I will find my peace.
- Shanya Ruhela (11.02.24)
In stories that linger was written while organising the above shelf which Hedwig disapproves of.
I Fly
In the laps of heaven
Bright with the holy number seven
I Jump, I glide, I escalate
In the glory that blue sky emanate.
Light as a twig, I swing and swing,
Swooshing past wind-ring and ring;
Flapping with birds to a distant island,
My angelic escape in the far away land.
Scooping the intricacies of the wild oceanic sea,
Capturing in my vision-over a cup of tea,
Loathing the jerk that splinched my dream-
Teaching me life isn’t all cherry and cream.
- Shanya Ruhela (2019)
Seeking inspiration from the inventor of stories.
The day I tormented you
Crumpled-up paper in front of me,
her unfinished story I cannot see.
She brightly interjects, “I am You.”
I snort, “Do I dare ask who?”
“I am you. The you from 7 years ago.”
She tells me about tearing the universal fabric, ergo
made a mockery of the central time travel rule.
Past and present shouldn’t collide. She’s a fool!
“Why are you here? What do you want?”
knowing her dreams I did haunt.
“To count my reaps and drink to my success.”
“You mean money, oh my poor child.”
“Do I cure humanity and live in a fortress?”
I sigh, “Look, here is the tax return I just filed.”
Laughing like a maniac I watch her face drop,
like a kid with Liquorice in a candy shop.
Then I tell her about all the crises
financial emotional, and all my vices.
Why do I still torment myself,
Naively hoping she’ll kill herself.
- Shanya Ruhela (12/02/24)
The day I tormented you was inspired by a conversation with Maria.