God’s Anthem
The night buries its stars
under the drapes of dawn light
lulled to sleep by little surges
of birdsong
God’s anthem
at dusk, they will meet again.
Immolated ethers stir
in groggy pulses
beneath clogging city streets
Deerfoot
Crowchild
Shaganappi Trail
clandestine custodians
of many journeys made
each crack, each skid mark
recites a centennial of tales
there are always places to go
dreams to chase
hearts to break
some may make it
others will fall short.
Tears dry up to kisses
jobs blossom to careers
with white picket stems
sprouting tiny budlings
or wilt
between luck droughts
and taut love strings.
Bright summer nights
run low on light
when fall’s canvasses adorn the trees
and age, as winter undresses their limbs
baring their tired frames.
Smooth tiny flakes caress the earth
weaving white blankets
lush wombs lie underneath
green with promise, ready
to spring forth next year’s yield.
Maiden grows to mother
when winter breaks up
with earth
and blossoms
yet again.
Silent foothills lay witness
to stampedes of
human-ants on a windy day
some with crumbs strapped to their backs
others saunter in a psychedelic pace
in a city where
snow does not shy away in spring
and summers host bouts of hailstorms.
Feathery dandelion spawns
float free
in graceful dances
between traffic stops
amongst elegant tendrils of smoke
to numb the ambivalent
bouts of melancholy.
Life might screw you (‘morrow)
with a one night stand
or commit
if karmic wells are full;
but, when the stars are buried once more
under the drapes of dawn light
and traffic drowns out
the sibilant rales of morn
we still do it all over again;
we flutter our eyes
and breathe –
Calgary.
Beach of the meadow,
cold garden city
of dreams and hope.
~ Nafisa Ali
Nafisa Ali was born in Austria, raised in Saudi Arabia and of Somali descent. I’m a current permanent resident to Canada, which apart from the ‘occasional’ cold spells, I love and can proudly call home. I’m no poet but love dabbling with words every once in a while. It’s a secret passion of mine and not many people that know me are aware of my writings. For some reason, I found myself reading this piece right after the recent flooding and found it holding new meanings for me. I just adore this city and its people even more now.
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