Sign

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Two rockets streaking across a blue sky. One is to the northeast, the other is going toward the southeast. — Photo by Stefano Ghezzi on Unsplash

the sky is ordinary.
today in 2010 I lost my grandfather.

I kiss my little dog’s head and think
I have never been closer to another skull.

the first time I saw a parrot
I decided he must be a monster.

when people first saw telegrams
they decided each was from their dead.

I could find a sign anywhere I wanted 
if I could forget that I want.

Jasmine Khaliq

is a Pakistani Mexican poet born and raised in Northern California. Her work is found in Poetry Northwest, Poet Lore, The Rumpus, Bennington Review, and elsewhere. Currently, she is a PhD student at the University of Utah, where she teaches and serves as editor of Quarterly West.

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