By Morad Fareed
I loved you once, I love you now anyway
We danced at a wedding once.
It wasn’t always around flags on fire.
Palestine is Iraq is New Orleans.
Loss breeds ire.
……..
We carried a groom on a chair once.
It wasn’t always a coffin.
Your flag triangulates my wound.
I cry for us often.
………
We spoke to each other over coffee once.
It wasn’t always necessary to scream.
Birmingham is Beirut is Bosnia.
We have a fucking dream.
…….
We met each other on a field once.
It wasn’t always to fight.
Darfur is Jenin is Auschwitz.
A life is a life.
……..
We prayed for each other once.
It wasn’t always so others may lose.
Your mother is my mother, dear brother.
I see hope in our family feud.
……..
We wrote about our love once.
It wasn’t always to eulogize.
For groves, for books, for tea, for her.
For your mistakes I’ll apologize.
…….
We dreamed about a new life once.
It wasn’t always in heaven.
It is now. It is here. Us. Try.
Leap to Re-imagine.
