What They Did Yesterday Afternoon

by | Nov 14, 2015 | Reading

 

WHAT THEY DID YESTERDAY AFTERNOON

 

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.

 

—written by Warsan Shire, previously appeared on Riot Pieces

 

Paris, Baghdad, Beruit

Paris, Baghdad, Beruit

Paris, Baghdad, Beruit