We constantly question the things we do.
Living has become a harder question than death.
True happiness wears mournful clothing.
True misery wears clouds and rain.
We sit and wait until we learn that destiny
had given us a melancholic mindset.
Our tongues are the harrowing tales of refugees,
hope lays down between the sadness of the grave
and in the letters of the forgotten soldiers who never return.
Let’s Cure Our Wounds
Ahmad Al-khatat
What is the significance of this work to you?
The significance of this work is to be there for each other through tough times and to demonstrate the idea that in every situation there is hope.
What is the significance of the form you chose for this work?
I believe that poetry conveys love and emotion through deep words. My poetry is to help support humanity and convey emotion through thoughtful and insightful connections.
What was your process for creating this work?
This poem especially, took a long time for me to write through this pandemic because my motivation has been affected by my negative emotions, however writing is a way to channel my negative energy towards creating something meaningful. It helps me to connect and also to share emotion and words that I may not be able to say otherwise. In a way it’s a journal for my thoughts.
Ahmad Al-Khatat was born in Baghdad, Iraq. His work has appeared in print and online journals globally and has poems translated into several languages. He has been nominated for Best of the Net 2018. He is the author of The Bleeding Heart Poet, Love On The War’s Frontline, Gas Chamber, Wounds from Iraq, Roofs of Dreams, The Grey Revolution, and Noemi & Lips of Sweetness. He lives in Montreal, Canada.