And from stillness
And from darkness,
And from littleness,
Springs life again.
To dance again,
To sing again,
To live again
And believe again…
In those silly dreams
In those gentles hopes
In those hushed poems.
But how harsh are those last winter nights
But how cold are those last winter nights
But how hopeless are those last winter nights
Like a feather caught in a thorn
Like a feather caught in ice
Like a feather caught in a web
I flutter gently…
White innocence
Soft perseverance
Light independence.
Belonging to none
but the One who created me.
Beholding to none
but the One who provided for me.
Bespoken to none
but to the One who loves me.
The blazing sun
The sparkling rain
The dutiful winds,
Will untangle me from this woe.
And I will float through the lands,
And I will wing through the tides,
And I will spring through this darkness.
Unabashed
Unattached
Unattainable.
Belonging to my own skin.
Belonging to my own heart.
Belonging to my own soul.
Violets growing in my palms
Roses growing in my breath
Primroses growing in my path.
How fragrant is that deep rich earth when it rains!
Let it rain,
Let it bleed,
Let it break…
Like a miracle on dry land
Like a shoot from a grain
Like a lifeless tired twig.
So that a new life can begin.
Layla Ali Sultan 