First morning coffee by Naida Mujkic

First morning coffee

He came and took me with him
He was wearing a shirt with rolled up sleeves
It was white as the face of a worried woman
We went through the tall grass
Which gnawed at the tips of our fingers
He looked at me without speaking
And I didn’t ask where he was taking me
I just walked next to him
Through the tall green grass
That’s how it is when you are happy
You are silent and walk like a coiled
alarm clock – time is no longer an issue
Until you wake up
Sweaty in your empty bed
And you start coughing your
Heart on warm sheets
He won’t come for you
And take you to the ocean
As the grass grows
He has no legs to walk on
He has no hands to lead you
He has no eyes to dive into
He has no mouth to comfort you
You have nothing left
But to get out of bed
And make your first morning coffee
Hoping that one day everything will pass

by Naida Mujkic

Editor’s Note: This poem’s short, staccato lines and surprising metaphors create suspense and emphasize the tension of the narrative, until the last few lines break the story open.