last night/party night

there’s a small part of the sky becoming vaguely pink

As the mic gets passed around to all the families and students

Mothers and babies start heading home

The children become restless

The dancing more boisterous between speeches

Students share their joy and gratitude about being here

families share their jubilance for hosting and welcoming in new people into their family units

even if only temporary

darkness arrives

The tops of the huts

Pierce the sky

As if they’re holding onto the golden part of the sunset and the day

As prayers and recited and smiles exchanged

Lights are turned on

To savor the moment

Freshly tailored outfits get sticky and sweaty

as gratitude is the shared breath that has defined the space here

we breathe in

the feeling of becoming part of something

that you weren’t part of before