THE CHAIN : Naheed Akhtar

THE CHAIN 

Naheed Akhtar 

That was madness, a sheer madness—

I looked at the chain, in bed,

and I looked at him.

My eyes journeyed to his.

From his chest to be destined there.

A delightful desire, so quickly, bloomed in my heart—

I held the chain in my hand,

I looked at him again—

And asked, “May I?”

He replied, “Hmm”—

He was standing at the foot of the bed,

with all his splendor—I longed to behold,

I leaned close to him,

numb in his scent;

an intoxicating effect,

wishing to be captured in the moment forever...

I put the chain around his neck.

(Naheed Akhtar is an Assistant Professor of English, a bilingual poet, and a PhD scholar in English Language Teaching (ELT), based in the vibrant city of Hyderabad, Southern India. Deeply passionate about poetry, she has established a distinct place for herself in the literary world.

Her poetic journey is marked by six notable collections: Phantasms of My Heart, The Earth’s Love, The Morphine, Beyond the Clouds, Let the Womb Hold and Other Poems, and The Jaipur Diary. She has also participated in several renowned literary festivals across the country, including the Festival of Letters organised by the Sahitya Akademi in 2024, as well as events hosted by the International Society for Intercultural Studies and Research (ISISAR).