Ibtisam Shahbaz is an emerging writer and poet in Naarm. Her work is influenced by her childhood in Australia and Pakistani heritage. She has volunteered with Red Room Poetry, on their annual Poetry Month and Poem Forest projects. Her poetry has been published by Monash University Publishing, Running Wild Publishing and as a finalist in the Sydney Hammond Memorial Short Story Competition. You can find more about her writing journey at www.ibtisamshahbaz.com.
This poem was originally published in the Stormy Weather Anthology.
THE RISING
Smoke rises from tea leaves forgotten on the stove
Steam glides in the air, as cardamoms unfurl and crush
As the water gurgles, I sit in a maroon armchair, and contemplate.
There is romanticism in suffering.
And great joy when you piece through the veil sadness upheld.
Deep within, I wanted to relive it all.
The critic never stayed for long,
It strayed by; a lonesome visitor
And when it left, all was silent.
All I wanted was sanctuary
Yet I engaged in a waltz of evasion
Shifting my weight, the velvet of the chair graces my skin
The star anise chars, along with my wish upon it
Silently, I fall back into my senses
Have we not suffered enough?
My mental landscape becomes still water again.
Now I know how to handle the flood.
Life will be good,
I have already risen from much worse.
© Ibtisam Shahbaz, 2023
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