Illustration by Tim Robinson.
1They inscribed their lives on clayand moved awayI hear the echo pulse by pulse
2Some memories we chaselike goats away from flowers,yet we wake one dayto the wilted ruins
3Let’s meet in the word forgottenfrom the dictionary, and breatheits air like the smell of the “klecha”my mother baked for the Eid holiday
4
In my country, I was a stranger.In exile, I am strange
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The spider built its netin a statue’s open palm.For the spider, the palm is home,not a metaphor of home
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6
Imprisoned in the magical lampfor years that exceeded even the jinni’s abilityto count; he cannot wish himself out.His brief freedoms only comewhen others wish for a bit of luck
7
When Human cries,Dog thinks the world is ending.When Human smiles,two stars from the world’s endglitter in Dog’s eyes.When Human makes waror any other ridiculous thing,Dog begs to curl up together on the rug
8
She calls aloud for the absenteesin her country’s air,calling day and nightuntil they cling in her voice
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9
If you don’t carry the sunwithin, then why does lightspill from you everywhere?
10
Deep inside the beach,moss grows around a rock,a soft embrace.When the water washes it away,it trembles like the gestureswe make waving from balconiesfor our loved onesin pandemic times
11
We remember the days from the wordsof our beloved people
12
They kept drawing circles on the groundas if their alphabet is a feeling with no end
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Sometimes I scribble imagesbecause I don’t have the words
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I ask the moon: Which is more worthy of loveyour light or darkness?Moon answers: A worthy love accepts both faces
15
On the chess board,a pawn crawls to the last squareto survive
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Earth, too, needs a space
17
I time-traveled to youfor a question
18
Through closed eyes,she saw their stolen bodies,their scattered feathers,and their flutes
19
Sad silence is translated into all languages
20
The first moment of war: a slippery fish from the river
21
The cage owner reminds the sparrow:life outside is inferno.One day the sparrow flies awayand there in the heights,overlooking the ruins of the world,the sparrow discovers the cage owner was right.It sings about the ruins,a beautiful song with no walls
22
Does the clock knowthat its little ticksmake eternity?
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With one click, I can download your smile and everything will be good
24
Let love bethe new world order
Dunya MikhailDunya Mikhail works as a special lecturer at Oakland University.