by Taufiq bin Abdul Khalid
Once a boy
I was once a boy,
And I came upon the shore of a mighty sea,
I tarried by her awhile,
But soon I grew scales and gills,
And swam in her depth, as a fish,
Then I sprouted wings,
Flying high across the sea,
Skimming over her waves,
As a seagull,
Later I turned into a fisherman,
Finding rich bounty in
Her deep blue mercy
To feed my family.
Finally I returned to the boy that I was,
And into the water I peered,
To see a reflection of myself
Looking back at me, and asking
“Who are you?”
