Hakim

A poem by Nematullah A.

I have a friend named Hakim
It means healer
He is a mysterious man
He knows what is right
He has many stories to tell
His own story began with light

Light was his guide.
He saw light his very first moment.
In Singapore all he could see were lights.
He knew nothing better than lights.
His story twisted when he saw light in the eyes of Afghans,
Two very different places but the same light.

Most of his words have feathers, that
Fly from his mouth and land in hearts,
But not all of his words touch hearts
He talks nonviolence
He says we humans need one another
He says he could end all wars and violence
But people are used to war
They can’t imagine a world without it
They call him crazy
Maybe we should all become a little crazy to understand
He talks beyond reality, uses his imagination,
Says he would build an equal world,
Says he would build a green, happy, world

His behavior is abnormal to most people
His laughter can be heard a mile away,
He is one of the happiest people in the world
His face is a big smile
He smiles for every photo
Maybe if we could learn to smile like he does
We would see what he sees in his imagination

You can’t find a wrong in him to right,
He looks perfect in a place like Afghanistan,
But he is scared like everyone else.