In the garden, meeting,
flowers and vines encircle us.
Birds in branches, peacocks preen.
Us enfixed in fabric.
Movement restricted
in marked contrast.
Erik and Frida clasp hands.
Ode to oud. Rattles rattle seeds.
In the garden, not resigned to the attics.
We reign on Tuesday morning.
No grey—bright colors or forms.
A feast of senses, an Eden
in dialogue, avian, Algerian Arabic.
Who Who, asks the owl as we twitter like
birds.
Published in MacQueen’s Quinterly September 2024
Image: Untitled by Baya Mahieddine, from the Alsharekh Art Collection
