from the sea to the sky and into the heavens. Maybe if I step into the sea and slowly descend until I reach that monument, I could climb it. I would pass the tall towers and the clouds, perhaps find more stars to ponder upon. In the alleys of old towns, I wonder what the merchants and the comedians are talking about. You always find an odd mixture at this hour. Are we stuck in an ancient fantasy and the outliers have already changed tactics? You never know in this changing world of chase. I have a lot to chase but I haven’t been negotiating in an alley or sending coded messages from my balcony to my neighbor. Maybe, I should find my town first before thinking about the alleys or the balconies of the people. Maybe, I should chase myself and find it. Maybe that’s how I will know which town to settle in. Israa Al-Kamali is an Iraqi creative writer of fiction and poetry, as well as a poetry performer and film enthusiast living abroad. She is a co-founder of the Independent Iraqi Film Festival, a community-driven, not-for-profit platform dedicated to supporting films from and about Iraq. Israa completed her undergraduate degree in culture and politics at Georgetown University and is
54
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online