Written by Rabab Ahmed
What remains — long after —
is the scent in the pillows,
the clothes folded neatly in drawers
The memory of a laugh,
a cry, a hug,
or perhaps only the annoyance
you thought you couldn’t handle
How loudly they chewed
How quietly they spoke
What remains is the feeling
they’ll be back shortly,
from a trip to the store,
just popped out for a minute,
for a smoke perhaps
or a breath of air
The feeling stays, pregnant, waiting,
expecting a delivery that never comes
What remains is what you wish wouldn’t —
the sadness, the loneliness, the emptiness
The memories flooding in at 3am when all you want
is a little silence and sleep
What remains —
is the mourner left behind.
.
Rabab Ahmed is a Bangladeshi-American ESL teacher living in Southeast Asia. Her stories and poetry are shaped by her travels and lived experiences, with a deep focus on themes of identity, belonging, and connection.