[Revised] Urgent PoemBirthing SkeletonsMarwat Al-Olefi&
[Revised] Urgent Poem
Birthing Skeletons
Marwat Al-Olefi
A spiritual tree is what I see
The Socotra dragon tree lives to tell the story of the oppressed
and the exploitation that was once beared
Its bark is as thick as it is made to be.
Bearing the trauma through its roots.
Defining its growth in a umbrella like structure through its blood, soaked branches
As rare as they are
They are found only in a place that is made to be
A place that respects its existence
not to exploit its existence
A place that depends on the strength it gives
because for the oppressed
Strength is all they need to survive the war
They say it's the tree’s natural habitat that coexists with the people
I say it's the belief of the people
When prayer is called, the rustle of the wind welcomes itself to the land
Only then the stable branches are not so stable
A rush of adrenaline shoots up the trees
Recognizing these are the words that will protect its existence
The branches hold its leaves tighty
just like it holds its people.
When it is time
The branches rise and calls for the lord to protect this broken generation
A generation that was left to defend itself with nothing
A generation where hunger is born in the womb of the mother
They say birthing skeleton’s is much harder than a miscarrage
I say, the lord will thicken the mother’s womb just as it thickens the bark
They say, a country’s strength is when the people can defend their country
And I say, strength is within and only believing in the almighty will allow for stability