2017

“IT WAS THE HIPPIES!”
( these words float onto Twitter; Instagram; Tumblr )
it becomes the laughable response
( to the change in the sign ; the first joke of the year ; Hollyweed )
it is something to cause no harm
( we are off to a positive start ; vivre l’amour ; laugh a little! )

“MAYBE 2017 WON’T BE SO BAD…”
( a laughing woman preaches to her followers ; friends ; self )
it signals that times are changing
( this year, we need to focus on optimism ; jokes ; joy )
it is covering up the other truths
( because just before people lives were ended ; ruined ; changed forevermore )

“IT WAS THE TERRORISTS!”
( these words float on the streets ; in the papers ; from the survivors )
it became the horrible reality
( to the ones who came to party ; to celebrate ; to enjoy life )
it became something that caused harm
( we walked into gunshot wounds ; blood ; death )

“MAYBE 2017 WILL BE THE SAME AS LAST YEAR…”
( a sobbing mother explained to her interviewer ; husband ; self )
it signaled pain and suffering
( we came into 2017 with the memorium of 39 friends ; lovers ; people )
it covered up the hope
( because it was supposed to be time for reinvention ; hope ; love )

… IS A NEW YEAR A NEW TIME OR JUST A SWITCH OF CALENDARS?

→ in loving memory of Elias Wardini, Rita Chami, Haikal Mussalem, Nawras Assaf, Mohammad Al-Sarraf, Leanne Nasser, Hatice Koc, Fatih Cakmak, Burak Yildiz, Mustafa Sezgin Seymen, Ayhan Arik, Mehmet Kerim, Yunus Gormek, Alaa Al-Muhandia, Mohammed and Ahmed Saud Al-Fadl, Lubna Ghaznawi, Abis Rizvi, Mohamed Azzabi, Senda Nakaa, Bulent Sirvan Osman and the rest of the victims - yet to be identified.

___

Steph. 15. Canadian. History Enthusiast. Fan of dogs and movies.