The poems felt delicate when I touched them, almost like they might fall apart under the weight of the feelings they held. I paused, sharing them felt like revealing the most vulnerable parts of my soul. Would people get it? What if they judged me as being too sensitive or too broken? The risk felt huge; each poem could either connect us or create a huge gap between us. Yet, I couldn’t shake off the feeling that I needed to be heard and understood, a strong urge pushing against the fear I had.
©Habib Dabajeh
I FOUND MYSELF
I was born into a world devoid of ambitions and skills.
My youth passed with little laughter or joy.
Schooling taught me nothing but ancient, forgotten history.
I paved the path to college and fell fast asleep.
I worked hard and held good jobs,
Yet my money seemed to disappear.
I set out to find love and romance,
And found only heartache and despair.
When I read some verses, I knew myself.
Then I wrote some verse, and I found myself.
©Habib Dabajeh