POEM BY: Masuma Begum, Syrus Stark, & Lizbeth Xochimitl
ABOUT THE PHOTO
"Heaven & Earth," by Amir Akram
This photo was part of a series of work meant to explore the duality present within myself and the world around. I was considering the dichotomy between my desire for introspection & solitude vs. my need to voice outrage at injustices in the world. The tattoo is itself is black & white, the dragon represents heaven whereas the tiger represents earth. I shot this in my own living space and decided to make the photo look somber by shooting black & white.
1. Love’s Echo
by Masuma
Love’s a cliff’s edge
where blueberries grow
Two pins in a haystack
A voice whispering whirrr
Love’s an ever-changing cloud
a mother’s comforting word
a cherished embraceas the clock ticks and time licks
I’m spent
Love’s life’s notebook
And endless trends
A journey with starts
but never an end
2. Love’s Layers
by Lizbeth
Today, Mother, oranges gleamed radiant colors
Tenderly, I dug my fingers beneath the leathery skin
Peeling away, as the scent perfumed the air for him
With grace, he licked the juices from the pulp
At that moment, my voice whirred
A lifetime of peeling oranges, yet none like this
Will his love pierce as pins, sharp and deceitful?
My dear, let your fears tumble off the cliff
For blueberries don’t peel in layers of skin
While oranges go ripe, so, too, the sweetness of our bond.
3. Love’s Game
by Syrus
In pixelated realms, voices clear
Blueberry potions, vanquish fear
Cliffs of quests, my character stands tall
Whirr, whispers the joystick, heed the call
Victory licks, like a mother’s sweet embrace
Needle-threaded storylines, a virtual chase
Fierce clouds approach, like shadows they loom,
In the gaming cosmos, dreams and realities bloom.
