Keep me

Somewhere under the blazing sun, burnt arid soil killed the taro seedlings before they could witness the light. Denial transcends an emaciated boy as he picks at the unyielding earth with his cracked bloody fingers, finding nothing but dead grubs. Desperate, he eats them voraciously, before the hopelessness of an Auntie or a sibling or any other breathing carcass nearby descends upon his survival. Full bellies and soft beds with pillows, and love never crosses any of their minds.

Somewhere under the shade of an opulent veranda, a young girl sits eating petit fours, laced in her pinafore, fastidiously instructed by her governess the proper pinky tea time etiquette. Within the cavernous home, a mother, a father ramble along to echoes in the hallways, unconcerned with the little lady they call daughter, considering she is taken care of by the help. As a priority, there are parties to plan, bank accounts to review, and endless obligations to delegate to their staff. Love happens elsewhere, where status is obscured and people look one another in the eye.

I am not somewhere, but I exist, carefree, blissfully content, sleeping where walls and mirrors are veiled and hold no power over me. Through the liquid cloud if I part my eyes, I see as much light as is expected of me, unstressed, in my utopian solitary confinement. Rolling over again and again, at will, if I choose to I can even suck my thumb without judgement. No one has to know.

In time, I suspect, I too will be somewhere. Elsewhere, other than where I am now, and destiny will hit me as soon as I arrive. If I could, I would stay here forever in the safe zone, where she sings to me softly, lovingly, with a heart as full as an unmilked breast. How can I know where my somewhere will be, when the nine months are up and I exit the womb?