Rasha Ahmed – The harp of absence

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14th Anniversary Edition, Live Encounters Poetry & Writing Volume Seven Nov-Dec 2023.

The harp of absence,  poems by Rasha Ahmed.

The harp of absence

The beginning was flowing wine
It was wrapping me in the fog of your metaphor
It draws me a field of butterflies
How could I have noticed
That the metaphorical fog was my combustion smoke
And the wolf of the end is hungry
And the beginning is gentle
It was waiting for the words to flow from your heart
To grow from the ashes of my chest
A new heart
In love: nothing but prophecy
No above, no below
There is no in between
O fire, be peace and coolness upon him
O fire, cover me
When she finished the story
There was a silence filled with hidden sadness
This is how our most beautiful paintings
Is what the wind scattered
A step forward, a step back
We breathe in and then we fly
We soar, glorifying the sky
For a little while, then we fall on the dust
Disappear silently
Thus on tiptoe
Disappear drop by drop
Dance slowly
To see how much this absence has affected your body!

To my mother who is not absent

Good morning, mom
Are you well
Is the door of your heart still open
Do you sleep without worry
Did the bullet miss me and hit you
Did death defeat you?
Did he fall from the heights?
Why did not you run away from him?
Did he ask your permission before leaving?
What does death do?
Does he walk without fear?
Why did you create death, oh God, why?
Mom. I have come to look a lot like you
Do you still check my bed every morning to kiss me?
Do you still hear me?
Mom, I cannot bear to say goodbye
I am not good at Abandonment
You know me completely
Why did you make me reap tears?
What should I do to erase your kisses from my memory?
And my heart, you know, does not believe in forgetting
What should I do with love when you are all love?
What should I do with roses when you are the rose lady?
What do I do with a heart consumed by sadness?
Will I leave him howling alone..!

© Rasha Ahmed

Rasha Ahmed is an Egyptian poet and cultural editor. She has published several collections of poetry, including “The Boredom of Losses,” “It Was Nothing but the Water of My Heart,” “With a Pale Light,” and “An Empty Seat Weary by the Light.”