September 28th, 2021
Apathy Ballads
Silence in the dust that you called upon.
Wash away the ignition.
Drive to the nearest street.
Cross paths. Apathy ballads sung by the night.
Switch to second gear, trail white wisps of hair into the moonlight.
White sundaes drip off soccer mom cars.
Watch the incoming sunlight.
Deem it invisible. Apathy ballads played on dusted pianos inside caveman houses.
Water the purple dark plants.
Shake off the pollen to mix with the pollute.
Wreck the bars and eat the drinks.
Just walk. Apathy ballads belted by the luck that hasn’t yet arrived.
Neha Varadharajan (she/her) is a high school writer from India. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in Cathartic Lit, Ice Lolly Review, Dreich Mag, The WEIGHT Journal, Hearth Mag, and elsewhere. She is a literary apprentice at Breakbread Magazine and an alumna of the Incandescent Summer Studio mentorship in poetry. A 2019 Sweek International Microfiction Contest Finalist, her writing stems from personal emotions and expressions in authentic form. She enjoys listening to Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo's music and engaging in web development and programming.
