Two Poems by Ali Znaidi

Tattoo

 

On a summer’s day of solstice,

does it matter, the sun reaches

 

its most northern point in the sky

 

three errant scorpions reach

her left plump alabaster arm

 

a yellow crazy swirl

 

floats on whiteness, &

what do we know of it

 

a scorpion is a scorpion is a scorpion

 

in her arm, three scorpions

chiseled with dexterity

 

& when the sirocco wind gusts

like hell

 

it’s time to get some refreshments,

does it matter, where?

 

Refreshments are

everywhere, what matters,

 

is how to properly

“search”

 

 

 

 

 

Graffitti

 

Freedom, a blueprint for chaos by proxy

an endless tsunami,

throughout anger,

amid the speaking ashes,

a joyful blockade of everything.

Words on walls aren’t everything.

They said, “practice makes perfect.”

I say, laundry of brains comes first.

Rain is there to wipe out

words on walls.

 

Why don’t you write on the brain? Why

don’t you spark heat in words on the walls?

Of course, the walls of brain/

“Practice makes perfect,” they said.

 

 

 

 

 

Ali Znaidi lives in Redeyef, Tunisia. He graduated with a BA in Anglo-American Studies in 2002. He teaches English at Tunisian public secondary schools. He writes poetry and has an interest in literature, languages, and literary translations. His work has appeared in The Bamboo Forest, The Camel Saloon, phantom kangaroo, BoySlut, fortunates.org, Otoliths, Dead Snakes, Speech Therapy Poetry Zine, streetcake magazine, The Rusty Nail, Yes,Poetry, The South Townsville micro poetry journal, Shot Glass Journal, the fib review, Ink Sweat and Tears, and Mad Swirl, and is upcoming in other ezines. He also writes flash fiction for the Six Sentence Social Network—http://sixsentences.ning.com/profile/AliZnaidi.