Aral Sea

It was here,

where they once lived.

Where the wind now cries

as it travels the land,

looking for witnesses to listen to its sad song.

To hear the tale

of the endless sea that used to be here,

of the smell of the ocean,

that used to sweeten the desert air

Until it was consumed,

like mother’s milk

Until the sea began to vaporise into dust,

leaving behind an orphaned wind.

Now the wind has befriended the dust:

trying to form fish,

humans,

and trees,

out of fleeting, momentary solar systems

George is an author, researcher, podcaster, chemist, molecular biologist and food scientist. You can follow him on Twitter @99blackbaloons , listen to his Spotify podcast George reads George, join his mailing list, or enjoy his books