Excerpt of Some days I am species transcendent
"i too have strong desires to be an octopus
sentient slapper in the underbelly of the ocean
i am of the ocean, craving sea
salt me like an underbaked cookie -"Excerpt of At a mixer for speed friendships, question six:
"What would you say to invading aliens, to save humanity?
I half joke to my half friends - there isn’t much to save,
just let them take me
Quarter friend 1: Music? 2: Food?? 3: Love???
I determine five minutes for 4 people isnʼt enough, and they’re not ready
I dream a secret prayer - let us be the last"Excerpt of They ask if i had a happy childhood but don’t believe me when i say yes
"Does any parent ever get it right? (no)
mine got it wrong, but they took the feedback.
in a flashback reel of my little life
I see the specificity of my sadnesses:"Excerpt of Priyanka Chopra asks me to be a good global citizen
"but then she says:
black, brown, white - why are we always talking about colour?
she says she wants the world be color-blind
she says she's feeling so exotic, hotter than the tro-o-pic
and i want to tell her to please shut the fuck up."Excerpt of The path to my heart belongs to the food mafia
"The months go slower and then suddenly too soon.
Thin grays streak the thick blacks of our shared genetics,
we make way for white together.
We watch cloud cover take over my
father’s days often. We don't chase them away.
There is allowance again, but I long for the soaking"Photo Credits: Shivani Gupta (me)