Poem

1st November, 2024 And when they ask who defended you Tell them it was your elders His uncle and his uncle’s uncle The neighbour’s middle child Those up above  And down below  However long the earth spun 1 million and 1 And if I’m their daughter  Why should it be cumbersome Image: Algiers horizon and Maqam ShahidRead more

Poem

5th July, 2024 | For future lovers, fathers, grandfathers, nephews and brothers – a letter from Algerian women to Algerian men who don’t remember: Don’t you remember? I hope you remember Me on the terrace In ululation for freedom And they came And they went And they pointed guns! And they could have taken us… But we stretched our vocal chords wider, and we stretched them perpendicular Like a she-wolf howls at the Harvest moon Except this was our moon!Read more

Book

Recommended reading on poets that speak hybrid languages: bint il neel I no surprise it was your father started it taught you allah’s word and said sing daughter sing a bird you sang from your belly to soar over all of egypt in the delta’s villages muwlads weddings ramadan breakfasts you flew your voice no surprise it was god started it put a burning in your mouth and said open up and sing you were young and a novelty voiceRead more