"Zee and Zed" by Hibah Shabkhez

Zee and Zed

Misery mimics maladies
Like a monkey trolling tourists
As it swings between cedar trees —

Head, heart, hand, eye, ear — each gnaws, twists,
Twinges; and the inquisition
Resumes, the old self-dissection:
Is this “real,” or in my head?
How do I sort out anguishes
By type, like tangled wool and thread?

Hibah Shabkhez

Hibah Shabkhez is a writer of the half-yo literary tradition, an erratic language-learning enthusiast, and a happily eccentric blogger from Lahore, Pakistan. Her work has previously appeared in Black Bough, Zin Daily, London Grip, The Madrigal, Acropolis Journal, Lucent Dreaming, and a number of other literary magazines. Studying life, languages, and literature from a comparative perspective across linguistic and cultural boundaries holds a particular fascination for her.
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/HibahShabkhez.

Headshot: Hibah Shabkhez

Photo Credit: Staff