All I wanted was connection,
But in the face of such rejection
I internalised this feeling and internalised my frown
But don’t say it’s cos your brown man
Nah man don’t say it’s cos your brown
Why identify with pain?
Can’t you see we’re all the same?
There’s no colours, only lovers, only love for one another, We all sisters, we all brothers
Why identify as ‘other’?
Don’t say it’s cos your brown though
Nah, don’t say it’s cos your brown
Other, over there,
Wrong side of the gate
Got kicked over cos of fear,
Got pushed over cos of hate
Saying we’re all the same,
Just shows you can’t relate
Can’t even contemplate
The level of contempt that can tempt a man to kill
With no hesitation
How hate infiltrates his mind, like he thinks we have this nation
Wants his country back,
Didn’t know it was his nation
Mr Misinformation,
Blaming us for the state of this damn nation
Blinkered to the truth cos my skin is his fixation
Reading horror stories on the net
Thread after thread,
Of total fabrication
Wish I could change the station
But every channel is overflowing,
With boat loads of frustration
That is what I’m dealing with,
That’s the situation
I want to believe we are the same
No colours, no others, no shame
Cos identity is heavy man,
It’s like dragging around a chain
That started with your name,
But where does the chain end?
When will the pain end?
It makes the mind bend
The cognitive dissonance,
The ambivalence to one another
Like, who drew the line that made us the ‘other’?
Who decided which colours paint us coloured?
Why can’t we tear up this playbook?
Instead of tearing each other down?
I’d love to internalise your love for me
Turn this frown upside down
Eventually forget I ever said..
It might be cos I’m brown, man,
It might be cos I’m brown..
Category: Race / Diasporic
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Mr Brown
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Eid chaand (moon)
They say Eid has come and gone,
Twice over!
The streets are scented with rose petals and fatty aromas of feasts from every home
Pristine pressed garments adorn the happy crowds,
Flowing like flags at full mast in jubilation,
Like sails gently billowing with each excited breath
Gleeful faces embrace with glistening gazes,
Rising above this gentle hum of joyful chatter, a chorus of “Eid Mubarak” echoes in every ear
“Eid is here! Eid is here!”
A small child runs through the town, beaming,
Screaming,
As his little prayer hat bounces around his crown.
A nostalgic, soothing sound
Yet I stand here confused,
Bemused and surprised
How can it be Eid today, when my moon has yet to rise?
I’ve been searching now for days,
It’s like she vanished,
Like she fell out of the sky
It’s empty up there,
As am I down here
Where is my moon?
Have you seen her?
Eluding my eyes, yet consuming my mind,
I’m looking up, but the clouds refuse to part
My heart races,
Eyes darting across the skies in vain
Mystified, I’m misty-eyed,
All I feel is the rain
It sure doesn’t feel like Eid…
In this sea of celebration,
I’m adrift, seeking her gaze
My moon…
I only find her absence when I look up
The air feels stagnant without her scent,
The feasts lack flavor and festivities premature
Why is everyone celebrating?
Eid isn’t here
I think the Imam made a mistake
It can’t be Eid without her…
It can’t be Eid without her!
She’s not in the sky
It can’t be Eid without her
No, I’m not crazy, this is!
So stop all the hugs and kisses
Take down the lights and turn off the stoves
Go home
I’ll look again tomorrow…
Perhaps a glimpse tomorrow?
Inshallah…
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