the belly of the whale

we have been swallowed whole.
months of our lives –
chewed up,
ripped apart,
digested.

the city has disappeared.
it’s quiet,
save for the sound of a television
humming in the background.
there’s a new channel,
unfamiliar words and graphs on top of a world map.
i swear
the numbers change each time i blink.

i like going for walks now.
the belly of the whale
was lonely at first
but my shadow
has begun following me.
she’s always
the recommended six feet away.

my calendar is full of zoom calls
but the connection is
poor in the ocean.
i talk to the voicemail lady –
she asks if i’d like to change
the way i receive messages.

i say yes.

i peel an orange –
thirteen pieces.
i eat six
throw seven out of the blowhole.
i hope it makes its way

across the ocean
to other whales.

socially distant
but emotionally connected
by seven pieces of an orange.

By Simran Kapoor

Biography:

 

Simran Kapoor is a student at Harold M. Brathwaite Secondary School in Ontario, Canada. Expected to graduate in 2021, she strives to make the most of every moment by documenting her favourite times in writing. Simran hopes to continue to develop as a writer as she pursues the craft further.