Striking Saudi Sky

Written by Anabia Imran from Australia, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia

The [shams] sun

rises into the inky black [sama] sky; 

its light colors the black [qumash] canvas,

spreading through the [dunya] world

turning cities on; the air buzzing with [taqa] energy.

When the big, bright ball reaches the top,

it shines down, its diamond refractions

the kind that hurts your eyes,

makes you see shapes that aren’t real,

but doesn’t let you look away.

The sun lowers,

shifting the above,  

its blues now changing 

little feathers of colour here and there

sometimes red

orange

yellow

pink

purple

and even grey.

When rain starts at last,

cracked pavement becomes

wet with Mother Earth’s tears. 

Forgotten flowers bloom

and a girl walks outside,

humming

dancing

singing…

Her name: Anabia/أنابيا

can mean the gate of heaven

She blooms; she connects.

Her [jism] body moves with the wind;

her [qalb] heart beats pitter-patter;

her [ruh] soul touches the ground. 

She smiles at the ever-changing above –

her striking Saudi sky