I can’t wait
For my children to hear
A story so old
Of men and war
Of refugees fleeing
…
Of how their mother met
A man so fair
In foreign lands
And the beginning
I can’t wait for war to sound so strange
Men killing men is not a way of living
Can’t wait for a change in this rhythm
I’ve relied on the sun to shine
The moon to come back
The stars to glow
The trees to grow
But
Each had a cycle and a rhythm
They didn’t know
How fast I want to keep on running
So my heart
I’ll have to start
With you
Part II
Of Positively & Philosophy
Book info here
-What are you?
I am a human
-But where were you born?
Here on Earth
As if it was OK to question my humanity
Just because
My color is not dark enough nor light
My color is a puzzling one
Golden like the sun
Mined from a womb of the first civilization on Earth
Sumerian
Between Tigris and the Euphrates
I thirst
I gather myself to reply
To the question of why
I am here
As if they had a better reason to be on this Earth
I am here to survive
To touch more than one life
To tell a story of those before
Of how life continues through the war
I am here because I refused not be
I decided it was my right to be free
I am here because I chose to stay alive
And to show
Those like you
Who never knew
A human with a different color
Or accent
That it is OK to be different
Don’t cry
For the children
Starving
For you are too
Starved
Out of war emerged a Phoenix
Out of boredom of watching T.V.
You learned to look outside
Not knowing who you are
I AM HERE
Cries your ghost
But you change the channel
Then try to find inspiration
At an empty bar
Don’t cry for starving children
Cry for those
Not knowing they are starved
I used to trust the shield
I’d create around me
As she told me
سلام و قول من رب رحيم
I told myself those words
Over and over
As I passed a terrorist stop
As I passed the bombed car
As I closed my eyes to sleep
…
But now I’m safe
Away from it all
And I say those words again
Salamun wa qaulun min rabin raheem
“Peace from a merciful God”
And I hope to rest
Forgetting what I can not forget
Can you truly be you
Unafraid
No make up
No filter
To alter your face
Can you find it
In your heart
To let them see
Who you truly are
For no other has been made
In exactly the same way
My first poetry collection is published and I’m so excited to share it with you all!
Here’s a look inside Stranger Paths, The Magic in The Madness Poetry Collection by me, R.J. Zarkani
Available for sell on Amazon and Kindle
For more information click HERE
Stranger Paths, The Magic in The Madness Poetry Collection Paper back can now be ordered on Amazon ! I am beyond excited!!!
Click Here for to be linked to Amazon
I designed the cover using Photoshop and a photograph I had taken on a beautiful foggy winter day. Used KDP to self publish and here we are!
This book is 10 years in the making, maybe longer.
Starting from the Iraq war and my childhood, to moving to America and living the best life I could.
It is a spiritual journey about war, hope, and inspiration.
Reviews so far describe it as:
To list a few
I am overwhelmed with community support and so grateful to be a part of this world.
A world where an Iraqi woman can have a voice. This is so much bigger than a book being published!
Stranger Paths 