The Pearl that Broke Its Shell

by Nadia Hashimi

Seawater begs the pearl To break its shell

“I suppose we all carry the story of our ancestors in us.

Maybe your naseeb is there but waiting for you to make it happen.”

There is some kiss we want with our whole lives, The touch of Spirit on the body. Seawater begs the pearl to break its shell. And the lily, how passionately it needs some wild Darling! At night, I open the window and ask the moon to come And press its face against mine. Breathe into me.

I knew nothing of that kind of love. I knew nothing about pearls and shells either except that one had to free itself from the other. We were both

calmer than we should have been, Benafsha because she had lived her love, and me because I had never known it.

Remember, Allah has said, ‘Start moving, so I may start blessing.’”

But sometimes you have to act out of line, I suppose. Sometimes you have to take a chance if you want something badly enough.

But I can pray for small things, like fertile fields, a mother’s love, a child’s smile—a life that’s less bitter than sweet.