Poetry: Ahmad Al-Khatat

Close the Book

It’s the time to close
the book of negativity
Stop flipping over the
pages of wasted years
and stand in front of
-waves of confidence
It’s the time to close
the book of remorse
Start creating a place
for satisfaction above
-some dark thoughts
of attempting suicides
It’s the time to close
the book of long isolation
I want to feel like I am loved
to my country, back to my life
Smile again without wearing an
emotional smile that lasts forever
***


Be Stronger

Stronger than before
I’m here under rainfall
Getting stronger than
before, because of you
Stronger than feelings
I’m wiser, and faster than
the curious heart breaker
We’re stronger than love
You once made me happy
I melted my heart into steel
Just to always remember you
Harder, better than memories
Your friendship made me
-stronger than the old times
When I hear your voice alone
I become stronger than death
No more castles and empires
Together we are stronger than
greater, higher than old figures
You make the heart grow healthier
But the wind of your sweet scent
-were stronger than a drunk soul
Between us there is no intimacy
we strongly keep on shining respect
***


I Am Human

I am human
from all races
I am looking
for respect,
condition
-attitude
and good
behaviours
I am human
dancing with
no silky touch
but on my own
for no reason
sometimes, I
am trying to
live like a human
My name is
human being
My age is the
numbers of
days of the
dead fighter
My soul is
already taken
Another human
I once met her;
she is the reason
why the night is
sad, no matter
what I do aside
from writing a
poem or a song
Can someone
walk me home
I am blind to
trust strangers
I am a silent
human listening
to dreamers talking
to machine believers
***

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Bio: Ahmad Al-Khatat was born in Baghdad, Iraq. His work has appeared in print and online journals globally and has poems translated into several languages. He has been nominated for Best of the Net 2018. He is the author of The Bleeding Heart Poet, Love On The War’s Frontline, Gas Chamber, Wounds from Iraq, Roofs of Dreams, and The Grey Revolution. He lives in Montreal, Canada.

Setu, February 2020