Poetic Voices: “Oceans” By Lama Ahmed

OCEAN

Ocean unfolds its deep indigo into the distance
What’s at near sight crystal and clear becomes dark and deep
The farther you look the deeper the blue

A moving body of emotions
It carries love and anger so big and so gentle
It has no limits or conditions
I wonder; why do we use the ocean as a measure for love?
We emphasize the depths of love, like the ocean
Not just how much of it but how real; how honest; how daring
Love so pure and clear; dark and deep; complex; harsh and angry
Like the ocean

So, I sit by the ocean and lay my arms back, sinking my fingers into the sand
and they touch hers
I feel a rush in my belly, as I for the first time, touch her
soft, brown hands
Fingers interlock and my heart unlocks
I understand now why we compare love to the ocean;
Because in her eyes I see a whole ocean of love.
Blue, unfolding shades of colour, wonderous and fierce

My heart opens up and moves like waves
Crashing, rumbling, excited then settles to the warmth of the sunshine.
We compare love to the ocean because
It’s open and accepting of
All bodies; small, big, strong and weak
It allows for all possibilities to unfold
Anger is encouraged, sadness is cradled, happiness is amplified

and love grows.

The ocean sees colour; skin shows underwater and
The darker the skin the deeper the blue
like the sky, her favourite colour, and how she fell into your arms when you had no clue
The sun glistens on her golden cheeks, it shines through from the inside out.
The way she smiles, squints her eyes and sees straight through your thick skin

Her voice, soft and sweet like the melody of the sunset
Pink and blue crashing into a whirlwind of a sweet 1920’s kind of love.

Love and the ocean are synonymous.
We compare love to the ocean because it surrounds you,
Jump in, heart first,
And see where its wondrous waves will take you.