In the morning, I will have oatmeal,
And pretend to swallow the stars—
Each grain in my mouth feeling as heavy as giants in the sky, Bananas in asteroid cuts mixed into orbit;
Pomegranate seeds dotted like red stars in the Milky Way, Will explode under the weight of my teeth.
My coffee will be unsweetened,
Will blacken the bright colours of my breakfast,
And brighten my mood for a short burst.
If I close my eyes,
I will hear the sunlight outside.
If I listen closer, I can even taste it.

_________________

Akshay Balan is a 24-year-old writer. He has worked as a journalist, but at present, is completing his master’s in Sociology at the Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi. His work has appeared in Agora Magazine and has been published in the anthology titled A Letter a Poem a Home by the Airplane Poetry Movement. You can find him on Instagram and Twitter.