where does it hurt? | |
what they did yesterday afternoon
by warsan shire
they set my aunts house on fire
i cried the way women on tv do
folding at the middle
like a five pound note.
i called the boy who use to love me
tried to ‘okay’ my voice
i said hello
he said warsan, what’s wrong, what’s happened?
i’ve been praying,
and these are what my prayers look like;
dear god
i come from two countries
one is thirsty
the other is on fire
both need water.
later that night
i held an atlas in my lap
ran my fingers across the whole world
and whispered
where does it hurt?
it answered
everywhere
everywhere
everywhere.
———————–
Read more about Ms. Shire at The New Yorker.
You take in sorrow and share inspiration and understanding. You are marvelous, and anyone who doesn’t notice must be inert.
Just an observation. The flag is always at half-mast
As always, the PSO-etry you bring to us, changes us.
Even if for a moment or a lifetime, it always changes us.
That is quite a moving piece. Thanks.
Seeing the world as an empath is a tough role to play in today’s world.