In some ways, it was nice to be the one leaving, instead of the one being left.

Lumba is in me as much as I am in it. If I stand at its beginning, I can map each of my memories to a corner of this dying town.

Home—a peeling, moldy brown, single-family house.

Family. I inhale, holding in the stories building up inside me.

My first ice cream—vanilla, swirling, dripping down my chin, my tongu...

You see this house

Its blue bright brick walls

Standing tall

Its windows, all nice and dim—

Just the way

I like it.

I built it all by myself.

One day

I woke up—

Decrepit,

My bed, a pavement

On the street.

I cried to anyone

Who would listen,

“Am I not human too?”

Then I remembered—

Before houses became artificial,

My ancestors put their hands to work—

Started with clay for huts,

Moved to sticks a...

You remind me of bright mornings

Laying on grainy sand,

Its coolness bringing relief

In that secret beach we found.

The yellow of the sun

Glaring at us,

Forcing us to gaze at each other.

Your face reminds me

Of the golden aura of a sunflower —

Always light.

Your arms wrapped around me

Like a cocoon,

Keeping me safe and sound.

Even now,

In this hot summer,

I miss you.

The sun misses your skin.

...

I begged death to take me

The first time you walked out—

Left me broken, shattered.

Cold and hollow

My tears could’ve filled a lake.

And I wept, and I wept,

Until even my tears

Grew tired of weeping.

I couldn’t walk out

Without looks of pity.

Then you came back.

I thought, this is it.

You came back for me,

Because deep in your heart,

You knew you couldn’t live

Without loving me.

But what a f...

I want you to love me

As if I were the Fatima to your Ali.

Serenade me with poetry

In the most beautiful language — Arabic.

Make me melt

Like puddle in your arms,

Like that chocolate on your tongue.

Be jealous of my brush —

Like Ali was jealous of Fatima’s siwak.

And when people ask me,

“What’s making you smile like that?”

“Like what?” I’d say, sly,

And smile, wider —

Like I have been granted t...

Head on the ground

Praise to Allah

Only You are worthy of my sujūd

I know I can be better

Than what I give

Only You are worthy of my submission

I'd let tears flow if I could

Until it's all dried up

Praying to be worthy of Your blessings

I know I never could

Oh Ya Rabb...

Alhamdulillah

All Praises and Thanks to You

Lord of the Worlds

For Your favors upon favors,

Endless blessings

Waking up eve...

I must confess, okay

I lied.

I lied, okay.

about my personality

natural introvert

I was shamed into being “the quiet one.”

throwing a 12-year-old into a new world

would do that

I was shamed into quiet and shyness when

Certain words I said

were made incomprehensible

Though I spoke the same language

When my English was not American

and you could hear the African in me

Shamed into silence...