author
bashar ali
The Event: aromapoetry
The Poet: Bashar Ali
The Poem: A tribute to the flames of rejection and abandonment
The screen projects this image:
A father looking at his daughter being bandaged,
Mummified and violated
Burning flesh cutting through her and her inability to face herself in the mirror.
Fiery desire to hurt whoever did this to her and to the remains of what used to be his family
While anger and sadness waltz in infinite pain inside him.
She cries
As tears flow into the sore burnt epidermis of her cheeks
He cries
As he recollects the last image of his family together
She cries for her mother
He cries for his wife
She cries for her brothers and sisters
He cries for their loss
She cries asking why
And he’s uncertain why people cause pain
Uncertain why he was left there to watch them scream for help
Unable to look at her
But unable to ignore the white cloth wrapped around her
He looks at the cameraman,
And directly into my living room
Look at my daughter he says
Look at her and remember
A human being did this to her
I decide to abandon the screen
I switch it off and switch my self off.
Away from sadness,
Away from reality
And live my romantic vision of what life is.
© The Authors retain all rights to their work.
