the river burnsÂ
Ather Zia writes a poem for Outlook.
the river burnsÂ
fish die, war is unending
home is a battle field
many walk past, but not you my friend,
not you; you choose to fight
each day, steady, singleminded
on one foot -
you speak fearlesslyÂ
to power
you journey for justice
a peace that disallows forgetting
many walk past, but not you my friend,
not you; you choose to fight
each day, steady, singleminded
on one foot -
you pay dearly,
all costs, a limb, pieces of skull,
friends, bloodÂ
your daughter바카라™s laughterÂ
that you don바카라™t get to hear
your son바카라™s tears that you cannot dry
your beloved craving your hand
your mother calling your name
we keep drawing
from the well of your strengthÂ
behind the bars, still the freest-
many walk past, but not you my friend,
not you; you choose to fight
each day, single minded,Â
steady,Â
steadier than thoseÂ
digging the heels of their two feet
that are destined to falter