I remember scenes of her weeping, a tumultuous clash of emotions summoned forth without a tangible source. Displacement has etched itself onto her childlike face, framed by locks of hair on either side. It’s visible in the glow of her honey-colored eyes, brimming with tears and a shattered gaze, as well as the disappointment lurking […]

God is most present in darkness and war. We behold Him in the tears that rest in the midst of our eyes, In our amazement and dread, In our solitude we exist, In all this affliction. He is present, and solely we apprehend Him, We alone grasp this vast shadow.‍ *** Every night I waited […]

As the first light of dawn peeked through the window, Kahraba stirred, already jolted awake by the incessant barking of dogs and the distant whirring of the village’s sole water pump. She grumbled to herself, “I haven’t slept enough,” while her mother made her way up the stairs to the roof where the family slept […]

The story will be told again They won’t make us heroes Perhaps a void in which the reader catches his breath You and I The possibility of taking the path of truth I lost the metaphor. It threw itself from atop the poem *** You and I Two songs, two women A one-sided contradiction A […]

My grandmother’s visits were usually so heartwarming that her presence alone could keep us feeling warm for days. But during this particular visit, something was different. Instead of feeling safe and comforted by her presence, we were overcome with a sense of unease. Her eyes were filled with sorrow, and her questions left us feeling […]

A shadow pierces my heart After I swallowed a throat To help me shed light on who I am. I bear the light on my darkness. It pours like deprivation of what I want I retrieve rejection letters. I exchange my tears by saying: Yes I consent I apologize .. Stand in front of me. […]

Fifteen years ago, on a sun-drenched winter’s day, I partook in a women’s procession to the lone waterfall in the region. But when we arrived, we were met with the stark reality of drought and scarcity, with no sign of the waterfall’s customary majestic flow. Our mountain range had never intersected with the winter rains, […]