Where have the birds gone?
Where did they vanish?
The sunlight faded. The sky appears dull.
Is the girl alone in her fear?
Is she the only one overwhelmed by dread?
No. Wait and listen!
The distant cries echo between the towering walls.
Others —all in pain.
The fog wrapped around the house.
Every life is in danger.
Why does the shadow of the night resonate within these walls?
Was it always meant to be this way?
Rescue them, oh, the might of day.
The radiant stars of the night guide them into a tranquil sea.
Don\'t say the despair of darkness outweighs the light.
Maybe love will triumph. Is love too weak against evil?
Does a man live solely for destruction, weighed down by darkness?
I refuse to believe that sorrow will eternally cast its shadow over a house.
Shahla Latifi
May 2025