The Sunday Poet: Simrin Tamhane

Simrin Tamhane is the author of a new book of poetry "hundred and eight prayer flags" ( Ibbetson Street Press/Endicott College Young Poet Series). Tamhane is an international student from the Himalayan state of Sikkim in India.  Currently a junior at Endicott College, she is majoring in International Studies and is interested in human rights and many of her writings focuses on this topic. She also writes about her childhood back in India and she enjoys old music, tragedies and iced lemonade in the winter.

Aleppo Dreams

With all the rubble and the broken bones of my city's weeping soul,

I have managed to build a small secret. A dream.

I place it on a slide and put it up against the sun and watch

as the reflection illuminates the cobblestone streets of my home

and hugs the corpses who were once my parents.

This dream crackles on the palms of my little sister's hands

as she tosses it up into the skies and marvels at it falls down like pixie dust.

From the hilltop, I watch the shimmer flirt with the smoke of destruction

and softly land on the eyelashes of my people,

blinding them.

They stand up slowly, their knees

perfectly orchestrated to tragedy

I see them rise.