“1999 Summers #Lahore”
 
Slowly pass the languid summer noon hours

Like the blossoming, on our terrace vine, of flowers.

The streets are quiet at this time of the day

The cricket matches of early morning, now seem far away. I was Afridi and the Bakery Road boys didn’t miss my catch

I lost my wicket and we lost the match.
 
I re-calculate the days and feel content

21 days since the last time to school I went

69 more to go; an eternity

Faintly recognisable strangers, my textbooks, seem to me.