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The River Acheron

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The River Acheron is one of the rivers of the Underworld in Greek mythology, also known as the River of Woe.

Here I am again—pen to paper, at last.
 Ask me not of the darkness in my heart,
 nor of the grime that cakes these soles of glass—
 a broken porcelain doll with missing parts.

Pour out the river’s flow: a mixture of salt and ink;
 bring everyday inconvenience to my brethren.
 Mismatched shards and poignant glances—
 one for you, one for them—as I grow restless.

Louder it gets, the low thump of discontentment,
 nearer and nearer to the soul awaiting death.
 Piece her together, fail one thousand times;
 one thousand and one—still the panic must rise.

Looming, like a sacrifice to the pageant gods,
 the cracked skin threatens to melt in the sun:
 a grim fate woven on the tattered tapestry of
 this woman who seeks depth in the shallows
 of the River Acheron.

  • Born and raised in Karachi, Afza Muazzam is an up-and-coming writer. She is a committed pacifist and an advocate for marginalized communities. She writes toward seeing a more just future. When not writing, she reads work that stirs the soul, takes long walks in nature, binges on sitcoms, and spends time with the people she loves.