Jun 05, 2025
She was the rose,
and she was the thorn.
She was mountains
and she was valleys
and she was also
all of the storms
that rolled through them.
She was a lover
and then a stranger,
and then a lover,
then stranger again.
She brought the rains,
and then made sure
to unleash a famine
to remind you to
be humbled and grateful
for all of the rain.
So now you're grateful
not for the rain
but to the goddess
for not summoning
another famine.
Is that rain worth it
if all it does
is make you anxious
of unbidden droughts?
Is that love?
Or is that just
a fear of pain?
Should you stay if
the desire to stay
is poisoned by
the fear of
letting go?
-Abdullah Alam