Aida Bardissi
cross-pollination is when i translate
arabic into a kiss
( i miss the orangepeel
of your kiss
slow and purposeful
how we’d try to tear the rind off
with one touch. sorry it
didn’t work out — unripe skins
cling to pith like a haunting.
i still smell your skin sometimes
when the air is quiet. i think of you.
(wallah) i do.
i still silence my arabic so that you can understand me
but you are no longer in the room.
(i’m scared you’ll be a soft spot forever
while you were away
i practiced saying nice to meet you in the mirror
another root(ed) word we share:
ممنون meaning: grateful meaning:
it was nice to have met you meaning:
you revived my rotted roots meaning: ))