*

She lost her eyes
she lost her smile
she lost her face

/ And, 
in Lebanon,
she lost 
her voice 
too /

Yet deep inside 
she kept shouting —
strengthening her stance
embodying her fears
engraving her verses
crushing silence 
with her words 

/ Subtly filling
that empty space
with loud songs /

* *

He was stingy
with kisses —
those knowing lips

/ Burying those screams
— odd entourages —
indelibly leaving
her fearful skin
coarse and raw /

Yet he ever so gently, 
almost lovingly, 
adjusted her headscarf
before day
prayer

* * *

She lost her eyes
she lost her smile
she lost her face

/ And, 
in Lebanon,
she lost 
her voice 
too /

Yet deep inside 
she kept shouting —
strengthening her stance
embodying her fears
engraving her verses
crushing silence 
with her words 

/ Subtly filling
that empty space
with loud songs /