The Breathing Things

Written by Anna Rodriquez

Artwork by Hibah Ansari

Mothers in paintLovers in inkGods in stoneLives on displayfor us to behold.I walk between white wallsdripping with memoryand listen to the storiesof fading pastswith my eyes.Do you measurea paintingby the strokes orthe tears and breaths and tremblesfrom an aching man with a brush?Can you quantify a rug’s worthby its thread count or dancing flowersstitched in symmetrywhen it has heard secrets meant forGodand let them seep into the fabric?How can there be so much lifeon pedestals and wallsand yetwe are the breathing things?