O heavy hearts,
Beckon to the burden on your shoulders.
Hold its hands.
But keep your fists firm,
like the blacksmith who carries the weight of weapons.
He does not fear the fire, rather, finds in it a friend.
So too, the baker who breathes, at ease,
before the mouth of the oven.
His work rising after its kneading,
feeding a generous dozen.
*noun: the scent of fire
———
About the author:
Hannah Alkadi rights the wrongs in our world by writing about them—in essays, poetry, and short stories. Her work has been featured in Amaliah, Traversing Tradition, MuslimMatters, and Muslim Youth Musings.
She is @hannahalkadi on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, TikTok, and Youtube.