I’ve reached a place

Where the question —

“But where are you really from?” —

No longer phases

My third culture brain.

I have had my answer prepped

Since I was twenty-seven;

I’m the girl

Who grew up emo

But came to love pink.

The one who worships

The Sudanese sun,

Sentences started

in English,

finished in Arabic.

Starting  my morning

With a prayer,

Followed by a playlist of

Omar Suliman,

Eman  El Sharif,

Linkin Park,

And ending with Taylor Swift.

Tea fills my veins —

From both sides.

My mother tongue is Arabic,

But my memories

Are soaked in Irish rain.

So no, my friend —

I can’t “ just pick one.”

And if you have to ask

That question

You do not deserve

The privilege

Of knowing

The multitude that is my world.

You can go sit

In your

One-world view.

Your voice is the soft chime
of clothes in the summer breeze —
soft white sheets rising to the sky,
held by small pegs,
the way your words hold my day.
And with your existence,
the world becomes softer.

---

She called my name
with a voice of musical lyrics

The alphabet of every
language
was created
to be spoken by her

She smiled like the sun
of my roots

Her scarf framing her face
like those of my ancestors

Her eyes resemble mine
with hope of love

Her frankincense
like sand lingering onto
wood
I am enchanted
by her every word too

As she breezed past
footsteps so light

I would rewrite my name,
and every word she speaks
just to hear her R’s

You looked to the side and smiled,
A smile from a place of recognition
Of shared roots

Smitten is what I am by you
Your eyes
have a smile in them I need to know

But really it’s your hands ,
Warm in the way they handed me a phone
Self conscious in the way they pat your head

There is a calmness and gentle peace
And I wonder
Will you be the one

To calm the storm of my brain,
Too early to tell,
It really was enchanting to meet you

You were the layer protecting my heart
But it shattered, with one pierce
Shards flying across
As my heart,
Now open and bare
Was dragged across the jagged edges
That was once the home of your protection