Suha Tariq: Self Portrait

Follow us through the looking glass, Suha Tariq's 'Self Portrait' is here to reflect. See more of Suha here or by following her writing account @suhatariqwrites on IG.

Self Portrait

Suckling on blood-soaked bristles

I regurgitate melancholy and

plaster it on the wall with my tongue.

I make it dirty with

my immaterial memories–

A mural of inequities. I paint a car

stopped dead, red blinking

the slow rhythm of

a heartbeat

eyes emerge, leaking, bloody–

Look at us, spitting butterfly pea tea

A novelty of bitter bullets spraying and

wounding.

I paint the day I leave–

Blue in the damn face I send

one text: “Okay.” and you,

you don’t see me walk away.

Living means I get to find

dollars on the street. They don’t feel lucky–

Their neighbours are people; dying

I heave and with my saliva

dribbles out a diagnosis

I blink, and there it is

a prescription, and a portrait.