Hecale

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Round Metal Plate

Feed the oil lamp
even if I died years from now
under my bed
a metal fork marking my forehead,
Feed...
until it decides that oil is no better than fat
feed her well-brought branches
in coconut shells,
intermittent cold gases
laterally cut bananas
and hot java in worn-out foot balls
she likes politely-prepared foods
no salt and no politics,
and there'd be no reason
not to invite the velvet worms


©Aya Ibrahim Bassiouny 2007

Dear Obsessed Friend,

You must not
make
the mailbox
your life.

Incidentally,
you might
find
an interesting thing
or two.

Or
a couple of
disappointing
things.

It's true.

But you must
never make it
your life.
Even
if it was.



©Aya Ibrahim Bassiouny 2007

What Halawa said the last time he spoke

"No puedo ser
 lo que no soy", he said.
"Look," she said,
"I can't understand
what you're saying.
But, I think
your Spanish is bad.
As bad as your English,
probably.
You always
speak Arabic,
through
your nostrils."

"Well," he said,
 "As long as
my nostrils speak,
I will not
speak to you again."


©Aya Ibrahim Bassiouny 2007