Fears in Heaven

.

My father asks me to call him

by his first name which is Ali

because we are, after all

now the same youthful age

It feels extremely odd

when this devout Muslim

politely asks me to join him

for a stiff drink, or two

He asks me if I want

to take any of his virgins

because it is his plan

to stay with my mother

I ask him if he is certain

whether she wants to do that

and he betrays his doubts

with an uneasy crooked smile

So here we stand with our

drinks, anxious and awkward

but knowing we have time

to settle into eternal dullness

.

by S. Abbas Raza,

September 10, 2014