“A Photograph of Me” by Ayesha Raparla

My life used to flash by
In dark smears I could hardly remember
Everything meshed together
Creating an endless ocean of fabric
A dark velvet
Deep, beautiful, but muted.
Some days stand out

Like pearls embedded into the infinite cloth
Close your eyes and caress the fabric
You’ll be sure to find them.
The ones I love are sequins
Bright and glittery
Stars in a never-ending night sky
They perch high above me
Smiling down with their gorgeous faces
Reaching with their hands
Pulling me out of the hole
One I had never realized I had fallen into.
Suddenly, my life became tulle
Fragile and bright
Flimsy on its own
But full and beautiful when together.
This entire time I had been taught
(By my good-hearted parents
whom I hope heal from whomever hurt them)
That friendship means nothing.
They are just little moments
Lost in the limitless fabric
Not to be kept, but to be fondly remembered.
It was only when I stopped letting them go
It was only then my velvet life became tulle.
Beautiful, whole, delicate tulle.

Although her ultimate goal is to be a veterinarian, Ayesha enjoys creative writing every so often. She finds that writing poetry is a great way to channel emotions whether they be positive or negative. In her free time, she loves to read and watch shows (that she never finishes). She hopes to make more time for writing in her next few years at UGA.