03:30
Sighing, she always waited by the door,
waiting for his nightly arrival, if lucky enough.
With only the ticks and tocks as her companions,
her sole solace from this complacent world.
Maybe it was the passing leaves of time,
maybe it was the gnawing gap of reality.
Who knows? Maybe it was merely utility.
Maybe it was a case of incompatibility.
As she blackened their tintless walls
with jagged lines of lights and darks,
he was breathless beneath piles of papers
and burdens of future’s responsibility.
Little did they know, it was already over
before they even realised it was gone —
the constant shrug-offs, the dodges,
the inevitable delay, the disinterest.
When they lost momentum and came to a stop,
when they burned at yet the slightest touch,
when they yearned to bring back the past,
when they forgot what made them start —
Even when they were at just an arm’s length,
miles of separation unfolded between them.
Whispers of the anticipated yawned, waiting;
yet nobody dared to lift a finger and test the grip.
Little did they know, it was already over
before they even realised it was gone.
Editors for 03:30 not yet setup.
New Beginnings is our third and final volume of 2020. It is also our longest yet, with close to 100 pieces having been sent in for review from over 80 writers. Additionally, this volume marks a step towards making our initiative even more inclusive, having opened submissions for art and photography, too.
2021 may not be the new beginning for which we are all hoping. In fact, it is likely that the world will stay largely the same. However, that doesn’t stop us doing what we can to make it a little better. In supporting and being involved in an initiative whose primary motivation is to build one another up, our team and readership have certainly proven to be committed to making positive change already.
First published by Ta Voix 2020