what healing becomes by Mona Alaa (16, Egypt)

time glided through us quickly
and the memory of you began to vanish
like a coffee stain i kept rubbing away for years.

i’ve changed
enough for you to not recognize me,
but i imagine you are still the same.

---

or maybe not.
maybe you became something brand new.
something both of us could’ve never anticipated.
just like i did.

maybe you can speak my language now.
maybe you have a new favorite song now.
maybe you dislike coffee now.
and maybe i no longer care.

maybe i have spent all those years
smoothing salt into the wound you left me with
until i became numb to the burn.
and maybe, just maybe this is what healing is.

to feel the pain so much until
there’s no more ache,
no more memories,
and no more you.

​