Guilt

Aswin Vijayan’s first poetry submission. Photo Source: Arch Graduates. 

Aswin Vijayan, Contributor. 

 

“Open the door,” someone said.

We were sitting in the living room,

watching TV, munching on fried fish.

The city had just woken up below the balcony

selling fish and papers and whatnot.

A camera click-clicked as someone wearily posed,

sipping coffee. It was the first of the six hours.

What is behind the door, I wondered.

 

“There is a cat in there. Open the door.”

Someone heard it mewing, someone heard it cry.

Someone felt it clawing at the door.

 

I, shyly, opened the door and saw

there was nothing but an empty room.

We left the city six hours later.

I find myself, still, behind that door.