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Poetry

Bilingual Alliterations

by Aishath Sara Arif

"Flow of Life" by Vanesa Erjavec
"Flow of Life" by Vanesa Erjavec

flora and fauna
is a dew-dropped spade,
monstera in the dark
green fable of faber-castell
scarlet macaws
beyond my native ocean,
nudged to a side
by new immigrant realities,
mental landmark-ing
a shapeshifting half-cob
in sunset fluorescence,
the roadside banksia —
two more stops to get off the bus

maamelaa meli
is the smell of jasmine
petals floating
like glyphs in ހުވަނދު މާފެން
a sweetness pressed
upon hearts of ނާރުއްފަލުދާ
shaped like water
pooling pollen hearths,
for bugs and avifauna —
dhoonisoofa soofi ދޫނިސޫފާ ސޫފި
red hibiscus, handhuvaree,
and emblems of pink rose
syrup melting in the sun

Appeared in Issue Fall '24

Aishath Sara Arif

Nationality: Maldivian

First Language(s): Dhivehi
Second Language(s): English

More about this writer

Piece Patron

Stadt Graz Kultur

Supported by:

Land Steiermark: Kultur, Europa, Außenbeziehungen
Stadt Graz