Afghan Roses

Roses and Sun
Digital Art
Miroslava Panayotova

For the rose farmers of Afghanistan

Some plant bombs 
or exploding, bloody
poppies. But you 

sow slowly opening
prayers, you sow 
roses, you grow 

soul. Lovers, you 
pluck Beloved, petals 
sweating, heavy with 

holy odours, you pack
pink kisses of peace 
on your backs, a peace 

so volatile, so sweet, you 
make acres of rose oil 
near Kabul and wash away 

screams, wash away
war from its streets, wash
away horror with your

rosewater, you 
perfume your homeland 
like a mosque.

Leah Callen…

…is a Canadian poet living on the prairies in Saskatchewan. Her verse has appeared in various lit mags including EVENT, The Malahat Review, Contrary, Vallum, CV2, Sequestrum, and Barren. She was longlisted for the 2020 CBC Poetry Prize.

Find In The Bezine

Websitehttps://www.leahcallen.com