listen to "Ya Nass" by Yasmine Hamdan as you read

there is no more longing in this

moment

except for that of the

sun

being carried over the

horizon

and putting the night to

sleep

somewhere a mourning dove sings

unseen

and deep in my memories i can still hear

my mother weep

a bird spit out a worm

I saw a bird spit out a worm

and an entire world behind its glass eye

the bird looked at me and turned and said

“breakfast called and the sun will rise

but at the end of the day

why do I choose who lives or dies”