no tracing
no mapping
no searching
you were hungry
so we ate you
the axe speaking for the wood
SALIMAH VALIANI is a poet, activist, and researcher. She has published four collections of poetry: breathing for breadth, Letter Out: Letter In, land of the sky and Cradles. Her story-poem, Dear South Africa, was one of seven pieces selected for Praxis Magazine’s 2019-2020 Online Chapbook Series. Her next poetry collection, 29 leads to love, will be released this year by Inanna. Check out her work at: https://www.facebook.com/SalimahValianiPoet/