(after Alex Dawson)

my skin covered in dust from
roads to nowhere — the only star is 
a sky lantern released from my palms
I follow it into the darkness 
where the ocean sighs in silence and I kiss
a stranger that makes me giggle like a girl
the city a stage for all my regrets
on every corner a new chapter that 
glimmers with golden guilt
the rhythm swallows me alive and 
spits me out on a mountain top
where I capture the moon in a bottle and
sell it to the highest bidder in the 
souks of Marrakesh before settling
down by the sea…
you toss and turn — I take your hand
so we don’t drift apart in our dreams.

---

Tanja is a Swiss-based poet and writer with German-Italian roots. A highly sensitive observer and mother of two, she explores life’s complexity with vulnerability and a hint of humor. She studied Comparative Literature before venturing into entrepreneurship. Her first children’s book is scheduled for publication in 2026, and several of her poems are forthcoming in international anthologies. Her writing can also be found on Instagram @tanias.butterflies and on Substack at taniasbutterflies.substack.com.