Ibrahim’s Question
By Homayra Ziad

As we left the park last night
my son asked: 

How much can a hurricane carry?
Can it carry a car?
Can it carry a tree?
Can it throw this park right into the air?
What about these hills
I just rolled down? 
Would they go off spinning into the sky? 

He shaded his eyes as he looked down the
horizon.

What about that ship, mama?
Can a hurricane carry that ship? 

There is a reason that soul and wind
come from the same root
The soul is breath,
and breath is wind.
A gentle breath
before the rain. 
A howling raging 
blast.
It is breath
that stirs the clouds,
spreads the sky open
to draw out life.
It was one breath
Howling
that laid low 
The entire town of Ad. 

Ibrahim:
Among his signs are ships in the sea
like mountains.

If he wills, he can still the wind –
and they would stay - unmoving – 
on the surface of the water.

As you dream of ships etched motionless across the sky,
learn when to howl, my son
And when to still the wind.