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Ask the Moon

Ask the Moon

© Rita Banerji 2002

Last night, to my head on the pillow,

you sent a letter

through an eighth century Chinese poet.

I read it

with my eyes closed.

I didn’t even know I knew Mandarin.

You said, each moon in the sky

brings me to you,

because it comes

only after

I have lain my eyes on it.

My father died: you said,

just like that,

abruptly.

I will be afraid to ask

should our roads cross again,

and should I discover

that you really did send that letter,

and that we were never really apart.

The moon is witness.

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