I am Still You

My body still smells like the fragrance of your body
and my skin still reflects the colour of your skin
my hair still has the texture of your hair
and my palms still bear the coarseness of your palms
my breaths still have the same pace as your breaths
and my voice still has a similar husk as your voice
my songs still play the music of your songs
and my poems still rhyme the same as your poems

I am still so much you
and you are still a part of me
which I carefully hide
underneath the covers of disguise
which I secretly lay on myself
to deceive the world
from evidencing
any of your signs

For it’s been long
that you have gone
and I am without you now
except for the parts of you
which I have graciously imbibed
and the world would only laugh at me
if it gets to know
I still treasure you
in my pores, memories
and desires deep inside.

-Chhaya