My pain hurts much worse when I think of it in terms of وجع

My shame feels less shameful when I forget all the عار it actually carries

My helplessness hits harder when it combines both عجز and ضعف together

I wonder what is it about the letter ع that shatters my heart into so many little قطع

And if it’s only that one letter, why do I still dread hearing my failures turn into فشل?
My sorrow into أسى, my anxiety into قلق, my anger into غضب, my regrets into ندم?

What is it about all those three-letter words that makes their وزن
Much heavier than any weight my tongue has ever carried?

Basma Zaki