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Purchase ‘Seven’ by Sadiyah Bashir

The fire that came the first time had my mother's voice,

The embers, my father's eyes.

I sit on the ashes of what was my house,

My legs crossed together like a secret.

These ashes circle me in the wind and we have the same laugh.

It calls me cousin,

Like it’s been here all this time just waiting for me to arrive.

Nostalgia is traumas daughter,

“So sweet to see you again, I knew you when you were younger” she says.

I smile with half my heart,

My hands melted in the fire,

My voice a trophy everyone at the table marvels to but fails to give back,

They all look like me,

Except they all have hands,

They start the fires,

I just sit in them,

Calling the flames mommy.