Deep Blue Sadness

a poem by Anam Tariq

In the conference of cacophonous, layered lies,
ostensible proclamations, faint heartbeats 
plead in a corner: 

the maimed race, bearing fragile juveniles 
wrapped in desiccated epidermis,
in a phase of lassitude, in a pool of scarlet, in a maze of black-white wreckage.

Milked, rent, pinched, divested—  
guiltless wings without feathers fall
in a cascading, leaden assault for occupation.

The heartbeats little by little depart, the lying mouths
lick traces of their yesterday. 
But tarry the letters of the poet

who still dares to dream.
For his people, land and sea,
his midnight navy river on the folio flows

and the unfeigned, un-wasted words sail 
beyond the Mediterranean, to the world
blotting out the tainted networks. 

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Anam Tariq writes from India. She holds an MA in English and is the author of the poetry collection A Leaf upon a Book (Leadstart, 2022). Her words exist in The Punch Magazine, nether Quarterly, Verse of Silence, EKL Review, The Chakkar, SeaGlass Literary, The Amazine, The Purposeful Mayonnaise, Lucky Jefferson, Last Leaves Mag, and elsewhere. Anam won the Verse of Silence Poetry Contest 2023, was longlisted for Glass House Poetry Award 2024, and was a finalist in Lucky Jefferson's Poetry and Prose Contest 2023. Visit her at www.anamtariq.in or @anam.tariq_ (IG).