Birds of freedom

By Tamanna Bangthai 

 

The sunbird, it sang
when the sky was blue
come again,
it seemed to say
the world is here to witness,
don't expect it to change.

The bullets, they'll fire again
messengers with wings, the pigeons
will carry love again
a holy god, made to resurrect
will live and hurt, and die again.

Say a prayer, write,
write a story to heal
Don't show your scarred face,
every second, my children are burning
every minute, a star is exploding
That's how sinners celebrate.

Tonight you kiss your mother's feet
offer sweets to the unseen,
ask for forgiveness
elect a government
and say, they deserved it.

I ask for a lot less, and yet
everything has a price, you say.
I pay my bills,
a finger for a tax,
I lick my wounds clean
and the iodopovidine stains my hands red.

There are no refugees in heaven,
only a bird in my bones
and I'm trying to fly, and float
like an embryo in its womb.
Tell me if I'm wrong,
but this isn't the world that deserved life.

Say a prayer again, write,
write a story that may heal
Don't show me your cracked walls,
even light refuses to enter them.

Tell me it happens for a reason,
tell me that's why evil prevails
tell me you tried your best
tell me the world is good this way
tell me why
the sky will never be blue again.

 


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