ARISH

Closing My Ears....
I cover my ears in the shower. I stand there—letting the water drip down my
hair, my back. I turn into it. It flows down my face. It’s loud. Not like
thunder. It’s…it’s…peaceful. Like…I’m swimming under water, in a lake,
it’s dark and the rain is pouring down. It’s loud under water. But it’s quiet.
Muffled. Calm. There are no problems under water. There is no yelling. No
hurt. No pain. Everything is erased. And no one knows me. What I’ve done.
What’s been done to me. I’m nothing under the water. And nothing is…
freeing. To me.
(pause)
I uncover my ears.
(pause)
I have to. I know I can’t stand like this forever.
(pause)
And when I do, I surf as to the top of water and I pull my head out. I need air!
(pause)
But it strikes me hard, the noise so loud! I wanna dive under again. But my
hands over my ears feel the peace of being invisible. But, anyway my fingers
are wrinkled like prunes, and, and I turn of the water...