creative

S U B M I S S I O N S
I Cant Go To Sleep
BY SEHER ROWTHER I cant go to bed I will pay dearly tomorrow But there is too much stuff in my head And I have no time left to borrow I have to work all day I can only write all night Even after watching some television I wont turn off the light Because I have too much to say These words need to be spoken Whether by voice, pen or internet All walls have been broken To make way for this river That flows within the words My human experience Is a narrative meant to be heard. _______________________________ SEHER ROWTHER is a class of 2011 alumna of the University of California, Irvine BY IMAN SIDDIQUI Crimson, pure, delicate, The rose stands tall. Her beauty, mesmerizing, Every observer, she enthralls. Droplets upon her velvet petals Magnify her radiance. Iridescent prisms of color glisten Her flawlessness, they enhance. Her perfection cannot be touched No matter how much one desires. For the rose protects herself With her own piercing attire. As the silk cocoon of the butterfly Shields its fragile wings, As the lush leaves of an apple tree Protect the succulent fruit it will bring, The needle-like thorns of the rose Ensure she remains untainted, Unmoving, unchanging, Like a scene precisely painted. She becomes no less in her beauty, But more meticulously refined, Her splendor and her modesty Simply grow intertwined. Her brilliance does not compare to pride For it will never dim, nor fade Tender petals, the rich, vibrant hues Remind her of the beauty God has made. Radiating a constant glow Her beauty is exquisite. She reveals herself to no one, Only to God, she will submit. ________________________________ IMAN SIDDIQUI is a second year Biological Sciences major at the University of California, Irvine

MODESTY

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the word | WINTER 2012

a glimpse of Iran,

Dezful
Photos By Sahar Jahani

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP. River: Water mills in the river that runs through the city of Dezful, in the Khuzestan province of Iran. Door: An old alleyway in the city of Dezful, which is thought to be approximately 6,000 years old. Its oldest structure is a bridge that dates back to 300 B.C. Old man: A hat-maker works diligently in the old bazaar. FEATURE | alkalima

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