Summer Farah

THIS IS A LIFE (EVERY POSSIBILITY)

I eat a warm croissant filled with homemade apple
jam

The wind rustles through the California oak,

& I know This is a life,

It’s midnight & I pull halaweh from the fridge.
Someone I love slices rosemary bread This is a life,

On arrival, pita stuffed with salty white cheese. This
is a life,

In another memory we share sashimi & macncheese
& mussels & shawarma & layali lubnan. This is a
life,

a cat sits on my toes, a weighted blanket covering us
both This is a life,

I keep the window open wherever I am, lest we forget

the sound of birds & children & whatever else pushes
gravel into bushes. This is a life.

I used to live in a house falling apart. A friend lived,
too, in every corner. We played music while we
cleaned & ordered pizza late at night. This is a life.

I used to talk to someone every day. Get mad at the
same things & travel far to see each other. This is a
life,

Once I was afraid, ravaged my hands with chemicals
& left my stomach bare. This is a life,

Someone I love taught me to knead bread. I don’t
remember her voice. This is a life,

Someone I love loved someone I could not.
This is a life,

I say there were no right choices, only less difficult
ones. This is a life,

Somewhere there is a me exhaling in the winter ice &

Somewhere there is a me who presses olives fresh &

Somewhere there is a me dressed in suit & tie &

Somewhere there is a me who still feels bay winds

This is a light