This Is Who You Are To Me
By Nisha Venkat
Who are you?
You are a boy becoming a man. Full cheeks blend into your chiseled jaw and boyish charm taints your proud swagger.
A slash of blue under a black coat brings memories from long, long ago. That might still be your father’s tie, but you carry it so well; you’ve made it your own.
Who are you?
You can’t answer that question yourself. You shrug me off every time I ask you and yet I can tell you’re desperately trying to answer it yourself.
You are your bone white fingers, harbingers of glory. You are the stripe of stubble you always forget to erase. You- you are your warm brown eyes, your lips that can move even in a photograph.
Who are you?
Two syllables barely do you justice. Even if you stagger under the weight of the world, you have angel wings you still cannot see.
One day, after I am long gone and my name turns to ashes on your tongue, you will take wing and fly, fly, fly.
Who are you?
I could not answer that question six months ago. But now, the four words slip out so easily.
You are my everything.