Ekphrasis 1 - A souvenir

The following is a poem written be Nadia El Hajji, a member of the Sahab Collective writing community. She presents a poem attentive to rhythm, memory, and the way grief settles into the body and the city alike.

Louis Garratt

My heart synchronised to the vibration of the warm asphalt
The rhythm penetrated my rib cage and colonised my stomach
My skin pulsating like an anthill
And my throat tightening around the sound 
The staccato of the horn, snapping like overstretched wires

The ground remembered the way you walked towards me
Deira street recognised your smell
And as the sunset drew your shadow across Al Thani tower
Ahmad already prepared your favourite karak chai

Something in my body missed a beat it couldn’t recover

My heartbeat slows to a hush
The rhythm fades from my ribcage
A breathless void in my stomach 
The anthill stilled
The horns have fallen silent leaving a leaden hollow

The ground almost forgot your walk towards me
Deira street could not recognise your smell
Al Thani tower, waiting shadowless 
Your karak at Ahmad's remaining cold