Afra Ahmad is a writer, poet, artist and calligrapher. Based in Taiwan, she holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature. She writes about everything under the sun: from dark issues of the society to problems faced by teenagers to imparting chunks of wisdom through her poems, stories and write-ups. Her works have appeared in various magazines including Iman collective, MYM, Rather Quiet, Ice Floe Press, Olney Magazine, The Malu Zine, The Sophon Lit, Blue Minaret, Melbourne Culture Corner, Her Hearth Magazine, The Hot Pot Magazine, Ghudsavar magazine, Moonbow Magazine, Eunoia Review, Alternate Route, Ink In Thirds, Porch Lit, Zhagaram Literary Magazine, Broken Spine Collective, Duck Duck Mongoose Magazine, Afterpast Review, Unlikely Stories, Rewrite the Stars, Spillwords Press, A Thin Slice of Anxiety, Punk Noir Magazine. 

Tangible Treasure

They say: you are a tangible treasure,
an inspiration, a woman of significance;
we would love to become everything that you are.

I don't know why these mellifluous praises
akin to dawns when the dew 
chooses to rest on fresh sunflowers
fail to compel me to squeal in utter glee.

What do you know? What can you know?
but this is not what I reply, ever.  

No one notices the surrender of diabolical ego, 
no one notices the strength in 
standing up all alone after a loss,
no one notices the will 
to forgive and forget. 

All they allow their eyes to observe:
trophies of victory,
meadows of happiness,
tankers of courage,
sweet phrases of positivity,
smiles of hope,
standing in my soul;

when all of these were in actuality
the yield of intense labour and unwavering faith
of several years:
who will volunteer to tell them 
that a single day can feel like a decade at times —
long and bleak?

Energy Drinks

The beginning is a
wispy broom
easy to roam
on a canvas 
or creamy sheet

hues of copper
hues of burgundy 
no one will tell you
these are hues 
of diluted pain 

the thick tail is 
coal-black with
bubbles of azure blue
"indestructible"
the shop owner had said
before handing 
a fresh piece to her
but not for
muscles and energy drinks

wild footsteps 
alert her
as he comes
inside the studio,
kicks the terrified artworks:
girls are not 
meant to sketch
go perform 
domestic chores
don't chase your
foolish dreams

she stares
at the shards of 
elegant paint brushes
and palette knives,
the shopkeeper was 
right
they were no match
for muscles 
and energy drinks.