Poetry

Written by: Yasmine Badaoui.    When White Family visits, it’s just shy of unannounced, last minute— a funeral, a grievance, Christmas, a break from the countryside.   When White Family visits, mind your manners and as my brother reminds me often; “Ignore everything they say,”   When White Family visits, keep talk small, don’t say things…

How To Leave A Man and a Country   If a man and a country love the regions they can make on your body, but not the regions you’re from They don’t love you   If they think they can save you from the regions you’re from By drawing up borders on your body with…

When they called America the dream. When they imagined golden streets of freedom. When the Smithsonian confesses that the statue of liberty was originally an Egyptian peasant. When you realize its another example a colored woman being viewed as a site to visit. When she’s forced to use her body for fame. When you realize the…

Like all kids, I was born with the fitr of Allah. I was born Muslim, but my parents changed my religion Because a slavemaster changed that of my father’s father before him. And my biological mother, she was American, second generation. She’s “white,” she’s American She is not of any other nations, She insists. But…

Trigger Warning: Abuse — So… when they asked “Why did you leave?” I said So… He was a bit abusive Not too much. Just twisted my arms A few times, Hit a bit too hard A few times But he made me feel loved A bit too few times He couldn’t mark his territory With…

Trigger warning for sexual abuse. — My grandfather was my teacher His lessons focused on teaching me how to make O’s with cigarette smoke and pray He’d warn me the only way to fail is if I don’t participate As long as my teacher was pleased and never complained My parents never asked what I learned in school…

Houses   You asked me why I did it Why I hurt you I wanted to tell you You were a fire in the kitchen A gas leak A flooding bathroom A disaster that happened In what I was supposed to call home A realization that there is danger In a structure I thought was…

Written by Amara S. Chaudhry.  — Questions for America:   what does the word home mean, if it is no longer the place where my mother gave me birth   how many different ways are there to say the word here when you ask me where I am from   why do you ask me where…

Written by Anonymous.  — It is Tuesday, November 22nd. Today is November 22nd. 266 days before your 20th birthday 24 weeks until you move back home for the summer 3 years, 3 months and 3 days since you told your mom And she hands you the house phone To speak to your grandfather 3 years, 3 months and…

Tonight. My country does not love me Tonight I know my country never did But tonight I will love the boy next to me, My mother who sent me a text this morning The woman who hugged me as I broke down, And everyone else I can fill in the spaces Between my heartbeats Tonight…

There are mammals with black and white skin. There are pigs waiving rights to their next of kin. There are shepherd dogs guarding the sheep. There are families torn apart, And left to weep. Some are native to this land. Others brought here on high demand. Next time you see one of these animals, Understand. We are stealing them…

Written by Danah Kowdan. — I am power I am melanin bones and skin Bonds made That are not to be broken Always meant to be mended Fed through blood lines and sweat Of women Who told me selflessness is the way of being Give more To be more But I’m left with less How…

#NotMyPresident-Elect Donald Trump You climbed on our backs to make yourself great (again). You had nothing to turn to but to make everyone hate (again). You did not win, Bigotry, Racism, and Hate won (again). We moved 10 steps forward, and you moved us 20 steps back (again). It is like my history book came…

I write poems about the loss of myself, As if I ever truly knew what it meant to lose your identity, When I never really had pride in it, When I gave it up at the young age of 18 And became an American citizen. I felt no remorse cutting ties to my ancestors. I felt liberated…