Papa had eyes
like soft open wounds
that bled salt below
heavy brows
but he’d smile like
there were sunbeams
coming from inside them
& say shit like
don’t you worry
that pretty lil head
this city’s got
enough windows
for all of us &
I think he knew better
but I still want to
believe him
Megha Majumder is an Indian-American writer, a Catherine E. Philbin Scholar, and a graduate student at Harvard Medical School & the University of Cambridge. At times memoir and at others manifesto, her poetry & prose are not simply written to or about her culture & community—but from it. At the heart of Megha’s work in medicine and in literature is a critical, compassionate voice advocating for empathy.
Painting: “More Than”
Artist: Henry L. Jones
2019 – 16×20 inches – mixed media on canvas