S T R E N G T H

Fatima Ali

you can find strength in the humanity you see around you

it's in the letters she sends you -
from her heart, with love
in handmade envelopes
to revive the joys
of snail mail.

it's the smell of sweat
mixed with kitchen spices
and the scent of her shampoo
that's been passed down
through the generations.

it's the night-lit beaches,
the air peppered with
embers of burning coal,
in your mouth,
every time you smoke.

it's hiccup laughter,
ashen skies,
burn scars from irons,
and the colour of dusk
in your chai.

so, find your strength in the things that make you feel like home.