“Comfort or consolation in a time of distress or sadness”
There’s a war outside my bedroom window, the same war that caused a tainted reflection within myself. From the evils that televise propaganda, to the battles that are being fought across our American seas and right down the street. I often pray to a shooting star for an ounce of peace. For this world is breaking my mind and whitey on the moon never fails to have his boot pressed on my neck. Afflicting deep cuts and dents. Mentally and emotionally I am in need of little light within this darkened time. An affirmation to grapple onto. A bit of a belief in love for something or for someone. I am in need of the beauty our souls crave to see, like a newborn who cries continuously, no matter the judgment in the eyes of those that are passing by. The freedom we ache to feel because our bones have forgotten what it meant to heal. And in truth healing hurts, and pain only subsides until it eventually comes back like the tides of an ocean. Welling and swelling. And like the tides of life it could never truly stop blowing. We can only continue to try. For some things are completely out of our hands, though not as relaxed within our hearts and minds. There are no magic words to make everything hit a state of bliss. But for the time being I will stand in the middle. For I am in search of solace, a little light within this darkened time. And in a world where hope is like a butterfly, rarely seen in lands where the sun doesn’t shine. We wishfully hope to catch it by its wings.
Author’s Note:
This piece was at first created for a door competition at my school and the theme was affirmations. And so I began to write the piece I decided to make it relevant to the things that were going on in the world. The main message wasn’t to fear or give up but to find solace even within the hardest times. To hang onto hope no matter how unfair or complicated things may be.
Nakki Asmah | 14 | Newark, NJ | @n.a.k_.talented on Instagram
