SubWay GoDDess (Story Poem)

SubWay

GoDDess

a story poem

by Tim Kavi



based on a true
encounter

on the subway
Line 11 Shanghai
somewhere between
Fengqiao Lu
and West Shanghai Railway
Station

I saw Her
a true Chinese Goddess
she glowed
like divinity
and smiled like a happy
Tara dancing
in the sundown
moments of a busy day

in her face
showed the happy promises
of a true beauty
in love with life

this incarnation
was a beautiful woman
and she looked away
like all are prone
to do

not to stare at a
foreigner
even though green
eyes are so different
when they are sparkling blue

but then she stared
and stared
at her reflection
in the subway
door--glassy windowed
reflections

revealed her beauty
from glory to glory
she primped her hair
adjusted her clothing
shifted from foot to foot

and smiled
like she was enlightened
anew
knowing something
the rest of us
never knew

I tried not to look
at her glory
not wanting to be blinded
by her light
only to face a lonely
Shanghai night

but I couldn't help looking
she was so pretty
I thought what girl is this
to look so long at her own reflections
and give herself a narcissistic kiss?
and so many smiles to herself?

soon the train
arrived at West Shanghai Railway Station
and I was struck with destiny
and evening undulations
as we both got off
having other trains to catch
to spiritual destinations

I drew nigh
and bravely spoke
Don't Worry, you are still
very beautiful
I said

She laughed
and turned and smiled
and said
I wasn't looking at me
but I was looking at you!

My face reddened
in realization
I too had been spied
looking in the glassy
reflections of encounter
Divine Revelation

And I speak English
she said
My name is Na
and I'm a famous writer!

I laughed
and She did too.

Saying, what's so funny?
I said, I'm a writer too
an infamous one!

we both laughed

and exchanged numbers
as we had other trains to
catch

but soon we chattered
and met each other
life now mattered

even in the subway lessons
of an encounter
Her love
rescued me

as I came to know Her
we often laughed
and smiled at the happy
destiny

that found
two hearts that had
been searching
riding to destinies untold

to find one; entwined
as love did enfold
in the eternal hereafter.