Nav sohi
tepid tea
Golden ribbons of honey cascade into tepid tea,
settling to the bottom of the cup,
refusing to dissolve.
I drink it anyway
with seasoned intent
in one forward motion.
The velvet sweetness coats my throat.
It matters little now,
the pleasure of this moment,
that only I know.
Nor will I tell anyone
that the fragrance of the crimson roses
has long faded,
and in its wake,
an empty glass vase
in the middle of the mahogany table,
collects a film of dust.
How arrogant of me,
to grieve things that were never mine.
Nav Sohi, also known by her pen name Nav Violet, is a writer based in Northern Virginia. “Handful of Violets” is her debut poetry collection. Her poems are deeply emotive, touching on love, longing, grief, and the trials and tribulations of life. Her poetry has been featured in the NoVa Bards 2024 An Anthology of Northern Virginia Poetry, NoVa Bards 2023 An Anthology ofNorthern Virginia Poetry, Prosetrics Magazine, and Zhagaram Literary Magazine.