Lantern Review: A Journal of Asian American Poetry
Issue 2 | Winter 2011

Rajiv Mohabir

for what loses shape

for najibullah zazi

I. dawn, new york city

dawn in sky lines waiting
to break into letters, placed into woods, spoken into story

i bear witness that god has no country
come to the good—come to this prayer.

morning birds recite salat al-fajr.

inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un
to god we belong; to god we shall return

your waking prayer is family to me. a face like
uncle vishnu, from my elbow to fingertip,
footpads brown pigment like clouds
into pink and skin daily slackening.

i love you, meri jaan, like muslim joints of lahore
meets hindu temples in jackson heights where we fold into one flesh.

i ride this body into speaking dream
and train car to the city.

29
30
Untitled Document