Poetry

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By

Amirah Al Wassif

 

 

 

Who would feed the orphans?

 

 

my heart is a pancake

shared by the poor and homeless

and there is a poetic spot

that belongs to the orphans

who are covered with my blood

seeking a home

all the age I wonder

who are those orphans?

 

then I found the answer

hanging on the sky page

those who sleep in the trash cans

sweat and cry and spit

those who make small clay houses

 

don’t let them get into

these ghosts that you see

close to the traffic signs

shaking more than breathing

 

my heart is a pancake

shared by the poor and homeless

and the eternal question is

who would feed the orphans?

 

the naked bodies crawl on the sharp docks

the small hands which forced to break the rocks

the time howls without mercy

the children watching our world

from their neglected corner

their skin tells you how the sun is every day

their violent shiver tells you how the cold is every night?

 

my heart is a pancake

shared by the poor and homeless

the bones pray for the tortured body

the tears improvise a poem

for the watchful eye

 

my heart is a pancake

shared by the poor and homeless

under the ground they are many

trying to steal our attention

crying secretly and laughing as a compliment

hiding under the bridges

wrapped with newspaper

which never talks about them

 

in front of the pizza shops

they are many

watching in silence

and never taste

next to the parks, they are many

lookout their fellows in humanity

and in whisper

get out of their chest

 

alongside toy stores

they are many

spy in bitterly

run strongly to the trash cans

for holding their cotton toys

 

my heart is a pancake

shared by the poor and homeless

and I wonder

if one good heart stopped beating

who would feed the orphans?

 

 

 

 

 

To be a brilliant woman in the Third World

 

 

to be a brilliant woman in the third world

you have not to be!

so, if you want the basic tips

kindly listen to me

 

put your mind in a box

be ready to say every moment “agree”

 

announce your eternal silence

stop whirring like a curious bee

act as a bird in a cage

never dream to get free

don’t consider obedience as a guilty

it is an honor getting down on your  knee

 

and about your gifts

enough to know all the electrical appliances,

kind of dishes and how to make the tea?

nobody cares about gifts

it is not necessary, it is too wee

 

don’t try to laugh aloud

it is perfect to be a tree

and understand that argument is so dangerous

the best for a woman is to flee!

 

to be a brilliant woman in the third world

you have to obey!

your family, your husband, your neighbor,

your president

whoever he or she!

 

you have to stitch and cherish and nourish

and never have the chance to flourish!

 

you have to silence

not crying whee

in your success or if you finally could see

 

in the third world

all you have to be

is not to be

 

nobody cares about your gifts

enough having a degree

in the obedience lessons

or cooking puree!

 

 

 

 

 

Amirah Al Wassif

Amirah Al Wassif is a freelance writer(28) years old, from Egypt. She has written articles, novels, short stories poems and songs. Five of her books were written in Arabic and many of her English works have been published in various cultural magazines. Amirah is passionate about producing literary works for children, teens and adults which represent cultures from around the world. Her first book, was published in 2014 and her latest illustrated book, The Cocoa Book and Other Stories is forthcoming.