Oh children of desperate breaths,
I saw you from a distance beyond the waves
Beyond the daggers
Beyond the graves
And told a lost friend I was lost for words.
Sulayma replied:
Say
Where was I to have saved you
Little girl with a blue dress
Say
Little girl with a blue dress,
Why did you not scream louder.
I might have heard you.
I could have come.
I would have swam.
Say
Little blue dress,
Why did you not save her.
Why were you not her wings and her boat.
Curse the blue dress you woreAnd the hands that made your dress
And the hands that dressed you
And the hands that left you
And the hands that drowned you
Curse the ocean that took you
Curse the air that betrayed you
Curse the sky that joins us, protects me and leaves you
Curse the sky’s eyes that watched me that night and forgot you
Curse your little voice that did not reach me
Curse the tears that betrayed you when they joined the ocean
Curse the ocean that betrayed you.
Little girl with a blue dress
Curse me and curse your little blue dress
Curse the love I did not know I had for you till you left
Curse your voice that stays with me
And your little blue dress
Curse the sand that was cold under your cold body
You and all the stories you did not yet become now live in me.
Curse your voice that did not reach me
Say
Little girl with a blue dress and curly hair and little hands
Is there freedom in heaven?
Say
I love you and I am sorry
Oh child of desperate breaths,
Go paint the stories untold,
And you guardians of sanctuaries
That tear on the tipĀ of the flame
Will one day
Catch you
Burn you
Bleed you
Bury you
Drown you.
Illustration: Banksy
Dear Tariq,
I met you in one of the events in SOAS. I seem to have lost your contact. Could you let me have your email contact please.
Best
Shahid Ali Syed
Faiz Cultural Academy
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tariq@mehmood.inf
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