Honey and Blood
I drown
in the pit of the ocean
I fall
in the depths of the pyramids
where my ancestors lay
Hatshepsut calls for me.
I’m surrounded by dark entities
They are snatching at my soul
They don’t let go of me
I scream
but no one can hear me.
I run to my parents’ bedroom,
but they don’t wake up
and I’m wailing
at the top of my lungs.
A camel walks through my bedroom door and frowns when she sees me crying
my black horse lies her head in my lap,
almost too heavy
my thighs starting to bruise.
Butterflies make their way out of my hair
the sun shines through the little opening of the nearly closed dusty beige curtains.
The dark entities don’t leave
But there is no air in the room
and I’m suffocating.
Hatshepsut lends me a sparkling silver inhaler.
One breath of it
and the dark entities vanish.
the baby poodle on my lap is barely barking
My cheeks, arms, and belly are smeared with orange juice and pulp,
All the butterflies find their way
out of the sink drain
and to my thighs and elbows.
They stick.
Honey dripping down my neck
and toes.
My bed is drenched in blood and toffee whiskey.
Diana Kerolos is 19 year-old Egyptian student in Emory University studying Creative Writing and Psychology. Diana started writing at the age of thirteen and has written over 300 poems to this day. She’s passionate about feminism, mental health, self-expression, and self-love.
Cara Clements is a graphic designer, illustrator, and art director currently pursuing dual degrees in Media Studies (concentration in Media Making) and Integrated Visual Arts (concentration in Graphic Design) from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. For years, Cara used illustration and graphic design as an outlet for stress-relief and relaxation, but earlier this year, she decided to start expanding her reach and sharing her work with the world via her small business, Cara Mak Design. She specializes in logo design, branding, website design, editorial design for magazines, type and image-led graphic design, art direction, and illustration. Cara is also available for design and art direction freelance projects, collaborations, and illustration commissions. To get in touch or to view more of her work, visit www.CaraMak.com or follow Cara Mak Design on Instagram: @CaraMakDesign.
