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New beginnings, Volume 3:

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Introduction

Contents New Beginnings Sameeya Maqbool Contributors Sameeya Maqbool A note Sameeya Maqbool

Poetry

Spark Sameeya Maqbool The Lovers Sameeya Maqbool Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Sameeya Maqbool Skinny Dipping Sameeya Maqbool The Funeral Sameeya Maqbool Inflamed Currents of Mind Sameeya Maqbool Mental Rot Sameeya Maqbool Kill the Moonlight Sameeya Maqbool A Warning to Boys who Angle Sameeya Maqbool Myself Sameeya Maqbool Me Mum Sameeya Maqbool a map of Yemen and others (2020) Sameeya Maqbool The Backwards Year Sameeya Maqbool Precious, of the essence Sameeya Maqbool A zoo in my room Sameeya Maqbool Isolation Sameeya Maqbool Speak up, Speak out! Sameeya Maqbool Uni Days Sameeya Maqbool uni grad boat Sameeya Maqbool In Time Sameeya Maqbool Eden Sameeya Maqbool 03.08 Sameeya Maqbool 03:30 Sameeya Maqbool My Alexander Sameeya Maqbool Validation Sameeya Maqbool You Make me So Sad Sameeya Maqbool The Son Drawn from Water Sameeya Maqbool Visitors at Allah’s House Sameeya Maqbool

Short-story

No Man’s Gallery Sameeya Maqbool Necromanitc Sameeya Maqbool Gemini Sameeya Maqbool 70s Sameeya Maqbool Aqua Sameeya Maqbool Bilston Sameeya Maqbool A letter to the Prehistoric Woman who painted rock art at Bhimbetka Caves Sameeya Maqbool

Visitors at Allah’s House

Sameeya Maqbool

I’m surrounded by echoes of I am present, O Allah. I am present. Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk. I’ve chanted Allah is great since hearing my father’s fingers roll them on prayer beads. Today, the beads emanate through my cells.

 

While circling the Ka’bah, I’m squeezed between a group of fifteen; they could be related, or unrelated and travelled together. Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk. They’ve locked their arms like a barricade to reduce the risk of leaving one behind, or losing one, or mistaking one to be theirs and carrying them along.

 

Some people press their cheeks against the black cloth, spreading the blend of vanilla, honey and musk into their faces. Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk. I try to move closer, but there must be hundreds of thousands before me.

 

My eyes swim in crowds of men in two pieces of white cloth and women in plain garments. Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk. It’s as though we’ve shopped and packed our suitcases together:

 

united.

Editors for Visitors at Allah’s House not yet setup.

New beginnings, Volume 3:

New Beginnings is our third and final volume of 2020. It is also our longest yet, with close to 100 pieces having been sent in for review from over 80 writers. Additionally, this volume marks a step towards making our initiative even more inclusive, having opened submissions for art and photography, too.

2021 may not be the new beginning for which we are all hoping. In fact, it is likely that the world will stay largely the same. However, that doesn’t stop us doing what we can to make it a little better. In supporting and being involved in an initiative whose primary motivation is to build one another up, our team and readership have certainly proven to be committed to making positive change already.

First published by Ta Voix 2020