Beruit, Lebanon

A poem by Zahra Wakilzada

Smoke drifts over the hills after two explosions at the Port of Beruit killed 158 people, injured 6,000 and left 300,000 people homeless on August 4, 2020

Baba,
I am far away.
Do not look for me.
I got lost
Somewhere between
The first and the second explosion.

I am sorry, Baba!
I cannot come home.
Please take care of Ummi for me.
Hold her a little closer
And let her cry.
She was not ready
To lose all her hopes tonight.

And promise me Baba,
You will get some sleep too
For I can visit you in your dreams.

Ma’a Asalama baba!

About the Author: Zahra Wakilzada is a human rights activist and a public speaker. She is a rising sophomore at Georgetown University planning to major in Government and an aspiring writer and poet who first began to publish her work at the age of 14. Zahra strongly believes that writing is resistance and can bring change.