Grief Does Not Obey Time
They said when the genocide ends,
our pain will cease.
They said, “It will be finished.”
But the day they called ‘a ceasefire’,
a different fire began—
our memories searing our hearts.
I wish I had saved
one last hug.
One last shelter of arms.
Something to carry
when my chest implodes.
I wait.
And wait.
And wait.
But you do not return.
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Grief moves in circles.
It does not end.
It does not obey time.
They say, “You’re strong now.”
They say, “You’re better now.”
But they do not see
that I am still stuck
in that exact day.
That same hour.
That same breath
when the world ceased to turn.
I am still here—
for the thousandth time—
standing where you once walked
where your names were handed to me
like broken glass in my hands.
—
Taqwa Ahmed Al-Wawi is a Palestinian writer, poet and editor from Gaza, completing a BA in English Literature at the Islamic University of Gaza. Her work amplifies Gaza’s voice and has been featured in leading international platforms. You can find more of her work here: https://tqwaportfolio-project.
