Poem by Z.R. Ghani : House on a Tightrope

House on a Tightrope

Only you and I make the most of this bench,
fenced in by overgrown grass and scentless 
flowers that even the butterflies find charmless.
The smoke of tiny flies deter everyone else
but us. We go there to talk – about the rent,
bills, destiny, how we manifested a hope
into truth. Aeroplanes carve white rainbows
as we incantate plans for the blossoming
of splendid tomorrows. The house on a tightrope
is in sight from here, trees blotting the view. 
We stare; I often ignore the sensation of falling.
Once, I came alone, looked up at what I thought 
was a dragonfly – turned out to be grasshopper. 
In my dreams the dragonfly glowed neon green. 
And I told myself that it’s a pigeon luxuriating
in the bushes, not a familiar London rat. 


Bio: Z. R. Ghani is a ‘Best of the Net’-nominated poet from North London, UK. She has a BA in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University. Zaina's poems have appeared in Magma Poetry, Black Bough Poetry, The Willowherb Review, Square Wheel Press, Bind Collective, Hazel Press, and The Adriatic. --
Z.R. GhaniAuthor and poetBA Creative Writing (Hons), BA Creative Arts (Hons)Instagram: @z.r.ghani