In response to a few poems by Afaf Zurayk, a painter and professor at George Washington University...

Only the birdsong remains

Screaming gently

Of yellow surrender

Through ashes

Softly

Your voice

Gently wraps itself

Around my waist

Warming me

With untroubled sleep

I am waiting

To share my loneliness with you

So we can sleep

In parallel

Touching