Tomorrow is the day I see you. 370 days since the last time I saw your smile, Heard your laugh, Looked into your blue eyes. Only tomorrow will be so very different. Your eyes will be closed. A smile will no longer fall on your face. And your laugh Along with you, Will be gone. The shell of your body is what I get to say goodbye to. How do I face you? How do I look at a body that is so very clearly the one of my brother An...

"Jameela" Three in the morning The shuffle of Rezek’s feet wake her from her thoughts, Not that she was really sleeping. Who can sleep with so much to worry about? Her husband’s pillow is empty. Soon Yousef will come to visit us, My husband’s friend from madrasa. These days Yousef is a big-time commander in Hamas. He will ask about Rezek. Why isn’t he in madrasa like the other boys, he’ll ask, But he’ll mean why isn’t he...

When I was only six and my younger brother was two, our father passed away. Since then, my mother and we were dependent upon each other. Our days were difficult. My mother had to work very hard to keep our family together. The income was just enough to cover basic expenses. Until one day, my mother ushered a man into our home. She asked us to call him - FATHER. No, he was just our stepfather. I was nine that year. My step...

I am enraged. Why must our lives be so difficult? Why must those who are supposed to love us, Hurt us? The idea of you hurting in any way pains me. It fills me with a burning hatred I have long forgotten. To know that you are being beaten down, And treated like dirt But still have the strength to put on a happy face and show no pain Completely breaks my heart. To know that every night you are cold And sometimes have no wh...

Having a brother wasn’t unique to growing up “ranch,” but it will help you fill in the big picture if I introduce him to you. There were some big differences in how we related to each other because we grew up “Ranch” together, but far from other playmates.Paul came along when I was three years old. I was very used to being the special son/grandson. I got highly pampered and felt this was the norm. Imagine my shock when th...

Everyone has that ‘thing’, that place where your life suddenly changes and you have no control over it. It’s a fixed point in time that you later look back on and say to yourself, “Yeah! Right there. That’s when it all started.” For some, it’s a joyous occasion; the birth of a child, graduating from college or buying a house. For others, it’s tragic. Their point could be the death of a loved one or maybe a divorce. But th...

She feels her heart drop through her stomach and out the other end. It has crashed to the floor and popped and now the blood gushes around her in a big lake of cherry kool-aid. Her eyes feel as if they roll back into her head and will never come back to the front- there is only pitch black in her vision. Her arms and legs shake, causing her to lean on the wall in order to not fall into her own blood. But she opens her eye...

Vacations were far and few between for this family, so when Daddy had a chance to take one, he jumped at it. I cannot remember the last time we took one. But then again, I am only eleven.I was sitting in the back seat of our old beat up jet black Volvo Station Wagon with my little brother. He was licking his cherry lollipop and his lips were red because he played with it more than sucked it. I just wanted to grab it and t...

Why did you have to die? I didnt want to say goodbye. My only brother was you, But you took place of my dad too. I know you were too special to keep here on earth, Your heart was pure gold from the moment of your birth. I can only carry your memories with me, And the life lessons you always taught me. Though we are now heavens apart, You still stay in my heart. And thats where your memory will rest, That is what you would...

Vision of youth (before things go to shit):me and you, and you're swinging me on your shoulderas if you'd love me forever...you'd never let me go...slip...break a bone...scar fleshMy mother's brother...my uncle...my role model...drug addict.We'd play frisbee while Nanny and Poppy cooked in the kitchen with smileslittle did I know all those times you went to the bathroom you were doing more than just "smoking a cigarette"-...

THE PASTIn the palace King Karna walks the arched hallways with his ‘sarathi’ and chief confidant and advisor Mani.She (Stree) is a difficult child. Her father already brought much shame by marrying that gypsy woman and left me with the burden of this child. I have forever despised these responsibilities but seems like there is no end to it. I am waiting for the time when Ketu’s sons will grow up and one of them will take...

I woke up to the sound of music as I do every morning when I have school. It was March 23, 2007 and it was a Friday. Fridays were gods to me because it was the last day in a school week. I have the same thoughts every morning. “What day is it? Do I have to do anything today? What’s going on today?”Well to say sadly I got my answer to the last one as the phone rang. I can remember that day like it was yesterday. That phone...