nothing short of

Hala Mousa

clean face

high hair

tight smile

she sits on the bench

and begins eating her lunch

cucumbers and a sandwich

not much but just enough

her friends snicker

and she does too

flailing her arms in the air

and putting her hands to her mouth just to stifle a laugh

she doesn’t forget to litter

for that’s one of the things she’s good at

she runs to catch up with the group

and yells at them to listen

she never walks alone

for she is not brave enough to do so

when teachers ask questions

she’s the first to answer

you could call her smart

smart and funny

her jokes are a staple to the class

they are of great humour and jest

when she’s not talking to her friends

she listens to music

or draws a little

which sends her to this warm quiet space

that she is so very fond of

trying new things is her specialty

from baking to knitting she goes

I hope one day she knows

that I will forever think she’s nothing short of prose