Ali Znaidi- A Poem

Martian Dream

 

Mars is that paradise sought to be regained.

Mars is that huge fathomless country where

people want to find themselves again.

Mars is that haven where they look for other

kinds of freedoms,

& walk away from earthly shackles.

Mars is a new red wild bloom—

a new water that quenches a new thirst.

Better a wanderer on Mars than an outlandish

stranger on earth.

Better an iron oxide dealer on Mars than a zombie on earth.

& Mars requires nothing but a pinch of smokeless fantasy.

Mars is that paradise sought to be regained.

Mars is that haven where people look for another

kind of democracy—a sophisticated democracy

that increases to the rhythm of the blinking eyes

to the rhythm of shuttles—

a purification of earthly sins—a catharsis,

& a cremation of sins atop  

                                           the Olympus Mons.

 

 

Ali Znaidi lives in Redeyef, Tunisia. He graduated with a BA in Anglo-American Studies in 2002. He teaches English at Tunisian public secondary schools. He writes poetry and has an interest in literature, languages, and literary translations. His work has appeared in The Bamboo Forest, The Camel Saloon, phantom kangaroo, BoySlut, fortunates. org, Otoliths, Dead Snakes, Speech Therapy Poetry Zine, streetcake magazine, The Rusty Nail, Yes,Poetry, The South Townsville micro poetry journal, Shot Glass Journal, the fib review, Ink Sweat and Tears, and Mad Swirl, and is upcoming in other ezines. He also writes flash fiction for the Six Sentence Social Network—http://sixsentences.ning.com/profile/AliZnaidi.