Hungry

She was so hungry for love

She yearned it with such intensity that

People mistook it for greed

But she was just starved

Like the little boy who begged by the

Roadside eatery

Covered in flies and dust

And watched hungry men and women

Children his own age

Mix into rice

Watery curry and

Dried fish

Golden papadum

And all he could do was lick his

Flaky dried lips

And she was like that little boys

Who was too weak to even

Fight the stray dogs for the

Food left behind

And she was so much like that boy that it

Scared her sometimes

And made her feel ashamed that

What made her body ache

And weak

Was love

A luxury when compared to food

But life is cruel in its ways and so

As hungry as she was for love

She could never accept what was sent her way

And pushed away all those around her

She cringed when a loving touch reached her

She covered her ears when sweet nothings were whispered

And she slammed doors shut whenever

Love knocked on the door

And so there she was, weak and alone

Escaping from the very thing

She was looking for