By Fathima Ayoob
I counted behind our olive tree,
Eyes closed, ears ajar.
I counted behind our olive tree,
Your heartbeats laughing away from my sight.
I counted behind our olive tree,
Your breaths like a north star, so easy to find.
We hid behind our olive tree,
Eyes closed, ears ajar.
We hid behind our olive tree,
Your heartbeat screaming away from my eyes.
We hid behind our olive tree,
Your final breath like a nightmare I can never wake from.
I sat behind our olive tree,
Eyes closed, ears ajar.
I sat behind our olive tree,
A heartbeat away from death.
I sat behind our olive tree,
And in a breath, I severed my ears.