Blotting Paper

Such as blotting paper 
We absorb everything: 
Sunrise, darkness, 
Roses, thorns, 
Bitterness, Basil 
Lightning’s, thunders 
Ravens, Snakes, 
Worms under the bark, 
The bark and roots,

We absorb
Bread and salt, 
Plague, dust, ash, tar,
Wound and the fire of wound, 
And the blood above the wound 
 
We absorb
The death, the bones that a thousand
Thousand years ago 
Recumbent motionless 

We absorb
The rust and forgetfulness, 
The dried roots and rocks, 
The roads and intentions, 
The milk of our mothers, 
And our fingernails,
Which were eroded under dirt,
And dirt, what walked over,
Or what walked beneath.

We absorb everything
But what do we give back?

Written by © Fatima Nusairat
Copyright © | Year Posted 2014

Poem

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Mehta Avatar
September 25, 2014 at 9:49 AM
To absorb the misery which is 90%, one needs the blotting paper, Fatima
Allison Avatar
September 24, 2014 at 7:07 PM
very descriptive write with lots of imagery:-) Hugs jan xxx
Mcdaid Avatar
September 24, 2014 at 6:15 PM
interesting beautifully crafted piece
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