Poetry Corner: Part Two

They

It’s them! They are my killers! Dear God, We were divided, yes, but for beauty In this world. But why were we not divided equally You gave humans power So much of it But why wasn’t it divided equally? Why wasn’t I given as much as them? They say that they understand, they don’t Some don’t even try to understand, they kill Dear God, Why do they take your name when they do that? They told me you loved me Why would they destroy something you love? Or is the fact that you don’t love me But why would it make me so detestable? He didn’t listen, neither did she. But you did, you do They say they have pain, They are hurt, they are defeated Indeed they are But they also have pained, hurt and defeated Me and many others. It’s control, fear and power They love it Love Dear God, Love killed me It was love, love, love.

By Ahmad Attr. Ahmad is a student of a veterinary university in Pakistan. He only started writing poetry in late 2020 as a means to discreetly describe and share his emotions online. But seeing the rather warm reception, he began to write poetry as a hobby, channeling his frustrations with the harsh, and unaccepting environment around him. He aims to become a published author after graduating from university. You can find Ahmad’s work on Hello Poetry.

The First Girl

We wrote haikus back and forth, four hours on the Greyhound bound from Boston to New York City, the flickering light catching on your curls as you giggled into my neck. And when daylight started to wane, you fell asleep on my shoulder, mouth resting by a ridge of collarbone, your dewy breath fogging up my sight. I tightened every muscle in my body and held it there perfectly for hours, willing myself to melt into your atmosphere so you'd never know to pull away.

Mallory Abreu is a 27-year-old creative writer and magazine editor. The body of her work centers around poetic justice stories; pieces that speak to personal experiences, while commenting on broader social issues that revolve around family, loss, sexual trauma, and her queer identity. Often, her poems take a single, short-lived moment and draw them out, dissecting the beauty of seemingly mundane actions and the impact of impulse decisions. A native New Englander, she currently lives in Des Moines, Iowa, where she works as a journalist covering design and the arts and as a piano teacher. Follow her on Instagram for her latest poems and music.