Hymn, he was
Content warning: mentions of suicide.
The sunrise laughter, he was—
His array of morning-bird chirping humor,
A tear-turned-smile: Houdini’s final quest.
Standing, a million o’stars glistening in
His pupils, a sun-bright mind alike,
As his light-hearted feet solved every
Frown.
–
The flight-turbulent wrist, he was—
His flaming ambitions meet sobering
Light. Reality, the paralyzed soul: a crying
Child.
–
For his emerald child, he was—
Caring for the tumultuous stone,
As his weeping heart saw light.
As the loveless widow steals dawn,
As his hope whimpers a subtle
Cry.
–
His gut-wrenched smile, he was—
His raisin eyes, lately glimmered,
For his frail brain, his begging eyes,
His flaccid, dangling throat meets
Alike.
–
For his staccato past, we cherish in blue,
His miraged future, a devil’s regret,
As he sings in silence, we mustn’t forget
That Icarus, like him, once flew.
Shehab Khan