The Kindling

 

A Ghazal for England

I meet a gospel singer turned cleaning lady.
She sings while she cleans, works to pay the bills for her sister.

I let her get changed in my bedroom for her X-Factor audition.
When she leaves, she calls me sister.

On a lonely winter evening, I watch a funny video on YouTube.
I laugh, and am reminded of my little sister.

I go on a date. He brings me home but doesn’t kiss me,
says I remind him too much of his sister.

My Uber driver tells me he is from Syria.
I call him uncle, he calls me sister.

I have found friends here from every continent.
In their own languages, they all call me sister.

At the end of my housing tenancy, I clean the grime off my mirror.
For the first time, I reach in, hold the hand of my reflection, and call her sister.

 

Faith Christine Lai is from Singapore. She is currently based in London, where she is pursuing an MSc in Philosophy and Public Policy at the London School of Economics.