Mehran Ali

This is for all the fighters no one knew about.

For the independent ones, who choose not to share their worries and needs to their loved ones because they don’t want to make them worry. For the ones who support themselves. Who don’t carry known surnames or “extraordinary” talents and rely on pure hardwork. For the breadwinners, who feel guilty about resting or having a little bit of fun. For the listeners who forgot the feeling of being listened to. For the cheerleaders, who know how it feels to have no one cheer for them. For the quiet ones, who win and lose without anyone knowing. Who choose to celebrate their wins over a bottle of beer on their tiny apartment. Who battle in silence. Who schedule their breakdowns. For the dreamers, who have restarted many times in this lifetime. For the ones the world adores, who can’t see it in themselves. For the ones who are so busy making life easier for others that they forget to dream for themselves.

This is for you. One day, life will not be all about surviving. One day, you will finally feel like living.

— 🇲🇩 🇲🇩

i am a selfish lover -

i will be up at 3:52 am listening to a song
that reminds me of soft winter embraces
underneath faux-fur quilts
but
I will not share those lyrics with you
before I finally go to bed at 4:35 am
because
two years later, when you leave
(and you will),
i cannot bear to have another song besmirched by broken love,
i cannot tip-toe around more playlists
because
my tear ducts have already exerted themselves
too much.

i will be in a book store looking for stories to adopt
and I will find an ageing book that smells
of this oak tree in my hometown
and
the coffee stains on the pages will remind me
of the brown in your eyes
but
I will never tell you this,
because
I am too scared the sparkle in my iris will die of the ache
that will follow when I find your letters
between my clothes long after you've cleared out yours.

i will be working on an Excel sheet filled with
quotations, budgets, projections
and
my mind will flutter to and forth our chai dates
when we had to reheat our cups six times
because
we couldn't stop talking about the supernovae, cats, books, anonymous poems, arts, and water colors,
but
I will never message you saying I miss you even though
we made love five hours ago on that trail
because
the last time someone's existence filled my veins and arteries this way,
they left, they left with wildfire behind them
and I cannot be washed again.

so, run, run before our hands become unfit
to hold anyone else's;
run before the thirst in your lips is only quenched by mine,
run before our feet automatically make their way
to each other while we sleep;
run before you realize the glow around my heart
is the sun reflecting on knives;

run, because this is how I write love letters;

run,
because I am too scared to burn
so I will burn you instead.

🇲🇩 🇲🇩❤️ 💪 🇲🇩

Thank you all for making my day so special. I am truly grateful to everyone who showed kindness in their own way, and to those who made sure this day was unforgettable, even from a distance.

A big thank you to my family, my office team, colleagues, and the WTC management for all your love and support. I will always be grateful.

#2025