By As many of us have had to force our tongues to learn English, this is an ode to my mother tongue, Arabic, reminding me to never let go of my roots. This poem only illuminates its true message when read twice; once fully top to bottom, and then back up from bottom to top. In the words of George Bernard Shaw, “We understand the beauty of our mother tongue when we are abroad.” Here is my understanding.
This is an open letter to my mother tongue
Thank you for nurturing me when I was young
Gave me tongue, I’m a part of you
You kept feeding me Arabic
I produced your sounds through my vocal cords
But after moving to the West, seeking a better life from the rest
I’m still stressed due to Islamophobic protests
Praying under pressure to rid of my Arabian attributes
Because this land wants me to be free
So here I am
Translating phrases
From Arabic into English
Questioning my identity
Who am I?
I’m an immigrant in either country
Even if I was born in Ivory Coast
Moroccan by nationality
I’m allowed to be American through mentality
Dear mother tongue
You are east of Eden
The Middle East is demon
You tell me nothing about
Holy, Mother
Your smothered stutter too terrorized to speak for
English in America is
Becoming my tongue
They say I’m
Quenched for linguistic homicide
Following words of silencers
Censuring words of ancestors
This is farewell to
Occupying my language
I know what this nation means
I have to give you up for this American dream
Stop
Your
Worry
I speak English now.