by Anuradha Gayen
Wild Horses
The most vividly I could describe it upon waking: painted
brown on white, hide the texture of oil, mane spilled
in waves. A living painting cantering through that dream.
The mare abstract in shape and she’s mounted bareback, her
in the front, head never turning back to me. She wanted to be
together someplace without an eye. To me she said “the sun is
an iris.” The sun that leaked over the hills and across
the back of our mount, an open lid on the skyline.
Brushed her cheek away from the sun (this was
the only way to touch her) I said, “the moon is a closed eye,” or
“fuck whoever sees,” or “let’s never get off this back.”
She is dream-shaped, stipple-mouthed. Face like a smudge body
unmoving; not all there. The memory of her in
the mornings now sloshes around the skull, yolk
broken inside an egg. She said next, “loving women
is like riding wild horses.” She speaks to me like I am
Eurydice the way she could never look back; the way we must
always press on, running out the sun for somewhere to
exist in secret. In the dream we’re always moving somewhere,
never turning; the back of her neck my favourite kiss goodnight.
Sarah Hilton is a queer poet from Scarborough, Ontario whose work is currently featured or forthcoming in Contemporary Verse 2, Hart House Review, the League of Canadian Poets chapbook series, Mnerva Literary Journal, Ithaca Lit, and elsewhere. She is a Master of Information student at the University of Toronto’s iSchool, and she is currently compiling a collection of poetry.
Anuradha Gayen is a Kolkata (India) based artist specializing in wash painting. She takes inspiration from mythology and tribal culture. She likes to create images that gives of a romantic vibe. Many of her work pulls inspiration from her childhood in Chattishgarh. She has exhibited her work in many exhibitions across the country.