No Words

A poem by Jess Semaan

No words to express how the heart feels right now

Maybe we don’t word

Maybe we stomp

We stomp till the earth cracks

Maybe we shake

We shake till the wind weeps

Maybe we twirl

We twirl till the sun rises

Maybe we sit

We sit till the ancestors roar

Maybe we stroke

We stroke our bellies till fear leaves

Maybe we kneel, we bow, we bow, we stand, we kneel

Maybe we hold a body

Maybe we are held by a body

Maybe we walk

We walk so slow, so heavy to the beat of bombs

We walk till we get home

And how will we know when to stop?

And how will we know it is home?

Maybe we don’t stop

Maybe we know that we will know

That our bodies know when it is safe

To weep

Maybe for now

We don’t stop