Simona Carini

Simona Carini was born in Perugia, Italy. She writes poetry and nonfiction and has been published in various venues, in print and online. Her first poetry collection Survival Time was published by Sheila-Na-Gig Editions (2022). She lives in Northern California with her husband, loves to spend time outdoors, and works as an academic researcher. Her website is https://simonacarini.com

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Alive

On February 7, 2023, two massive earthquakes struck southeast Turkey and northwest Syria

On the floor, an ant carries a dead ant,
left, right, frantic, unsure where to drop it.
On the screen, people carrying injured,
dead. All wrapped in grief. Buildings collapsed
in Kahramanmaras. Dust covers all, a shroud,
grays out rescuers’ bright clothes. A man, orange-
clad, sits on piled rubble, left hand holding
his daughter’s hand, her body buried, crushed.

At home, I see the photo, the man’s gaze,
I rush outdoors, run, fill my lungs until
they hurt. I look for green shoots pushing through
coffee dark earth towards light, get drunk on
colors and air, blue and clouds, egrets’ flight.
Three days on, a three-year-old pulled out alive.