by Sarwa Azeez
We peered through bullet holes
to see our future
on the other side
fled home—
dodging fires
and gunshots.
We held on
to tree limbs that
despite being weighed low
by snow and wind
guided us back
to safety.
We wandered astray
along the haunting
mountain trails
Our fast-beating hearts
chased
by the soldiers’ ghost cries
but our gazes raised
heavenward
beyond those sky-piercing summits.
Our roaming bodies
stumbled on a vast blue tomb—
The waves thundered
like wrathful gods
who were lifting us
through clouds
and mist.
Sarwa Azeez is a Kurdish poet and translator. She is a Fulbright alumni, got her second masters in Creative Writing from Nebraska-Lincoln University. Her debut poetry pamphlet collection Remote was published in the UK by 4Word in 2019. Her work has appeared in many publications such as Parentheses Journal, Writing for A Woman's Voice, Notre Dame Literary, Wingless Dreamer and elsewhere.