The trunk of that great tree separated us from our husbands. They sailed on the canoe, and we could hear their laughter. The sun beamed; the lake glittered. Yet all I could see was you and the textured background of bark. It had an earthy smell which, when interweaved with your perfume, made my nostrils feel like tumbleweeds in Eden. Azaleas surrounded us. Their vibrant colour convinced me that we were in a hidden paradise: that we had discovered a scenic utopia. I embroidered them onto the linen to remember the occasion, to remember you. I felt a dull pricking whenever I pushed the needle’s tip through the cloth, a constant reminder that I was experiencing reality. Didn’t you know how perfect it was? Hidden in the shade of the leaves. Each Sunday, the Reverend’s voice, which echoed against the walls of the church — as commanding as the Lord’s…
Most of the rest of the world doesn’t understand why we have a king. I’m not sure our population does either. It’s not as…
Rosin was a member of my writers’ group in Dublin—a woman in her forties, sturdy yet graceful, with auburn hair, a ready smile, and…
Fozia Khan lay on her Charpoy under the open sky. The night in the Tank district was still. From far away came the sound…
It was 11:55 p.m. when he stepped out of Moscow’s Lefortovo Metro Station. His whole body ached; his legs trembled. His eyes were sleepy.…
A sunny Friday morning in May. It is only nine o’clock, yet the heat is already oppressive. Kolkata, the City of Joy, simmers under…
Look, I’m not saying Ramu was a liar exactly. My mother would’ve called him “creative with the truth.” He sold fruit near the old…
I was merrily walking past a lively street, the way the auburn trees touch the skies as if asking for a peck, just for…
The mosque at the corner of the bazaar kept its own small weather. At night, the courtyard took on a blue hue. Lamps breathed,…
It was early spring, and the sweet sounds of birds, buzzing bees, and the smell of blooming flowers had filled the small neighbourhood located…
