Wednesday, September 5, 2012

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.