Page 5 - By Any Other Name Fall 2019

Fall 2019 Page 4

The Holy City Darkening Sadness

By Amal Qureshi, Grade 12 By Ahmed Bilal, Grade 12
In Mecca, I remember The deep dark alley was my route
I was ten, with Flickering lights and thundering clouds
my mother and sister, in the mosque An everlasting abyss
The reapers subtle kiss
We sat on the floor, but there was not Running from my past
enough room for all three of us But now the shadow is cast
so I found myself one row behind, next to Swallowing me alive
two women And spitting out a hollow life

They spoke no English, I no Indonesian Heartless...
but they smiled at me, placed candy in my hands
and we sat quiet, sugar-mouthed By Ahmed Bilal, Grade 12

And as Arabic came through the speakers How is this distance between us
pouring over our ears like honey Happy and smiling
we sat still in the peace of a language Then what now is the sudden fuss
neither of us spoke, but both heard like music. Did you lose trust
Did I do something wrong
Holding this memory like sunlight Now all I can do is long for you
a sweetness on my tongue, I ask myself As I wait all day and night
now and always I realized something causing me to fright,
is holiness in God, or is it in the people? You really were as heartless as they said.

(Above) Unseen Marrakech, Isabel Mestey-Colon, Grade 9, Pencil.