Adina Bari Writing

Photograph taken by Katrina Lange – https://katrinaelange.myportfolio.com

Sea Blue

You learned me for purple, when you had me speak of the gardens

Fire rounded me with inquiries, passion

What did you want to know? 

How to get your fill through a generous gaze? 

Reinforce, pull back, rapidly, intermittently

You used big words, carefully looking for the resulting details  

I smiled and hoped like it was my first time experiencing love 

You wanted me closer, for some cause   

You learned me for green when I talked of the trees

My eyes

Honey, sticky and sweet for attraction

Yours are lifeless, still, you have so much to say 

You said you would pick me lavender, it made me smile 

Told me I have the softest lips you’ve ever tasted

Do people just like to feel themselves making declarations of love?

Why did you?

Yesterday, I painted my nails with the most sea blue I could find 

Blue like butterfly decorations

A color that is secretly also mine

Blue like berries collected in a milk carton 

Because I can love most things like it’s the moon 

I have been a girl of flowers for as long as I can remember 

Momma used to pose me in darling dresses infront of statements of verdancy 

I could start fresh if I wanted

Be a girl of the sea now  

Sail away when I feel injury coming

And leave the flowers to the land

//

Hold me in the Ocean

The ocean is the one place where my head feels clear 

When I am riding the waves,

I don’t have to be the one that does the holding

If I let my tears fall into it

I know it can handle my grief

I could open up the gates 

Depend, lean  

And I would finally know what it means to feel my emotions

For this mask has been so heavy 

And it is painted with other people’s favorite colors 

If I am honest 

What’s a little more salted water for the sea to handle, if I wept? 

It has held much greater than my unsaid burdens 

Ships, whales, pearls

Joy, confusion, loneliness

Don’t tell my inner flighter

But, I started to cry

And the water started sparkling 

I turned around and saw someone

And she smiled at me   

Breathe

Slow down 

You can look her in the eyes 

AG