Now that you’ve driven him away, 
how many will you invite in
to your bed? till the taste of him 
has left your lips, the smell of his 
breath stuck in your nose no longer,
the feel of his body, the weight, 
on top of you are dull, distant 
memories? But what about them?
These other weights you’ve swiftly worn.
What will they be? In some dark clubs 
they’re pretty figures. On the drive 
back home they’re hungry hands and mouths.
In bed they’re drifting silhouettes
who make measly motions. Then leave.

Do you turn your back when they do? Do you 
pretend to be asleep? Then when the lock 
on the door clicks do you get up, and light 
a cigarette, or more likely a joint,
and watch the night slowly turn into dawn?

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Sameen Shakya’s poems have been published in Alternate Route, Cosmic Daffodil, Hearth and Coffin, Roi Faineant and Thin Veil Press, to name a few. Born and raised in Kathmandu, Nepal, he moved to the USA in 2015 to pursue writing. He earned an Undergraduate Degree in Creative Writing from St Cloud State University and traveled the country for a couple of years to gain a more informal education. He returned to Kathmandu in 2022 and is currently based there.