The Undertaking

Akshi Chadha

The Undertaking

by Akshi Chadha

Grit1 into road

                        Sweet water 2 into pump

                                                                      Tea 3 into land 4

Arm 5 into nation 6

                                 Indigo 7 into cape

                                                          Embroidery 8 into muslin

                                                                                               Word into tongue 9

Setback 10 into skyline

                               Alloy 11 into rail track 12

                                                                            Gospel 13 into law

                                                                                                      Pink 14 into dawn

 


1 a murder of crows trodden
the same holy river twice touched
umber is dirt is soil is earth is skin
measured and weighed in mother
in power in sleeve
an opium poppy blooms
growing hunger is deep blue
tiny stabs stitch wound open
so full of names
10  scraping the metal sky
11  friction smells like gunpowder
12  settling into new frontiers
13  where the truth is
14  newly unearthed flesh

 

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AKSHI CHADHA is a writer and literary editor. She is currently completing her MA in Creative Writing at the University of Toronto. Her work has been published in Canthius, The Lumiere Review, Parentheses Journal, Watch Your Head, and elsewhere. You can find her on Twitter at @akshi_chdh or at akshichadha.com.

The Undertaking can be found in Augur Magazine Issue 5.2.