pulvis et umbra sumus

by Navya Chitlur
10/14/24

        there,          stray dogs
in sunlight:         chasing        
broken bones &          the return of        
         healing          their bodies

there: breathing in          between heavy        
heartbeats &          memories of
                a life in          frostbites & of
    my ribs          breaking

we stand          isolated, 
inside the moon’s          craters casting     
                         light &          endless shadow, &
we sing the stars,          they howl about    
                defining          the catharsis of
this happiness          dying                    

             we read          cracks across
          palms —          dirty limbs —
& we believe          it tells us      
   that we write          of suffering in
               our own          thoughts, & of
                     fate          disappearing

     it is
       infinite

***

(This piece is part of our yearlong series called Heart Beets that features the work of a group of teen writers, giving us a glimpse into their journey through the school year.)