One Poem Only is a daily ritual: one poem, center stage, just for now.
On the Roof I SeeMirela SalihovicMy little sister and I,When we’re in the tent,love to play a game.We call it:
"On the roof I see..."And whoever’s turn it issays what they see on the tent’s roof.
On the roof I see…Birds of all sizes.They land on the tent roofand tiptoe across the canvaswith their tiny feet.They wander back and forth.I hear them chirping.Winter is coming.It will be cold under the tent.Mom will bring more blankets and quiltsfrom the humanitarian aid.Father’s friend Ahmedused to sell beautiful quiltsin his little shopat the end of the street.Before they threw rocks at itand destroyed it.The birds fly off to warmer places.
On the roof I see…Raindrops.They sparkle in the morning sunlike crystals.
On the roof I see…Leaves falling from the treesin autumn.Our old mulberry tree didn’t survive the shell.My sister and Ihid in its trunkwhen we played hide-and-seek.We would hang from its branches.Mom made homemade jamfrom its white clusters.
On the roof I see…The moon and stars.The tent’s roof is see-through,so at night,when the sky is clear,you can see the moon and stars.
On the roof I see…Mom dustingand bird droppings.
On the roof I see…The roof of our old house.Dad says:"When the war is over, we’ll come backand rebuild everything.With our own hands."
On the roof I see…I want to believe my dad.I want to go back to elementary school.If there were no war,I’d be in seventh grade.I want to play hide-and-seek againwith my sisterand hide in the old mulberry tree.I want to see my best friend, Omar.I wish we could play with paper airplanes.The ones flying above us nowaren’t as fun.And when I hear the sound of those airplanes nearby,I hold my sisterand lay her head on my chest.And I tell her that
on the roof I see…Flowers of every colorgrowing from the tent’s canvas,as if from the earth itself.
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Mentioned in this episode:
Write After: National Poetry Month with One Poem Only
Write After is a way to encourage poets to listen and write, and use National Poetry Month to highlight how listening to poetry makes us better poets. I know I write the best when I’m surrounded by beautiful poetry–it’s part of the reason I created this podcast, and I want to encourage others to share this practice.
