LOVE.
O.J.
I am an orange,
drowning in juice
that was squeezed
without my permission
see I’d told you it’d be sour
why didn’t you listen to me
look at you.
why are you smiling?
no, wait, you’re practically laughing
and you don’t even look like you’re pretending
to enjoy your beverage
you’re in such a good mood
you say something funny
that makes me want to laugh and suddenly
I can taste it
something sweet running down my cheeks
like tears,
fresh tears that leave trails on my face
so sweet I fear a line of ants will form on them
and mistake me for a platter of delight
I should have resisted when he peeled off my layers bit by bit
he must not have noticed how much it hurt because I took care to smile much
even though there was no need to show everybody just how orange I was.
perhaps he just didn’t believe that
mine was the kind of sweetness that would linger, and leave the edges of his fingers
sticky, and delightful.
and some people just like to press me close to their nose
my scent becoming a refreshing citrus inhaler to their dank asthmatic existence;
and some peel off a little bit of my skin and dump it in their purses to make them smell nice
then leave it there,
forgetting like he did
till it starts to rot
and work contrary to its purpose.
I’m trying to convince you
you should have met me when I was hanging off the branch
on the tree
why snigger
you know
you won’t find me
in a supermarket.
you have that sly grin
on your face again and I can’t tell what you mean
to say this time
but I can see you’re taking
your time with the glass
I just poured you.
Asr.
My favourite boy, Kholed, at the Kg Chnnang Orphanage calls his brothers to prayer.
Cambodia 2011
It rained yesterday. I noticed this on the ground just before I entered the lift on the way home from work and I couldn’t help thinking, “SubhanAllah! How beautiful.”
15 Juillet 2011 Vendredi
because I believe that Allah put me in that room at that hour not for no good reason, Alhamdulillah! :)
one of the Ustadz at the Kg Chhnang Orphanage gave up his lodgings so us girls could have it for the days we were there <3
June 2011
Allahummaftahli Abwaaba Rahmatik
“O Allah, open for me the doors of your mercy”
Phnom Penh International Mosque June 2011
