Poetry:
Momila
The Wail of a War-Worn Girl
Today, I feel the most miserable soul on earth,
for in every book I dare to read,
I behold the raw, red blood of people
smeared across its pages.
I cleanse these blotches with my tears,
for within this book
lie countless truths
I have yet to encounter and comprehend.
Before my forlorn eyes,
my school, my library, my home—everything—
has already been engulfed by flames.
Along with my smile,
my kith and kin too have been reduced to embers.
Now, they may cast me into fire along with this book.
O Allah! Safeguard this book—by all means!
For within its pages is inscribed
the hymn of ‘love and peace’
that must one day be read by those—
who survive the triumph of violence.
Translation: Diwakar Subedi
