So many days have I sat in this spot
For a moment of respite from the suffering that enveloped me
So many days, while here, have I wondered how much longer
till I feel alive again
So many days have I mourned the loss of happiness
So many days have I been revived by the kindness of friends
And as I sit in this spot again today
Feeling thankful
The rays of the sun on my face
I count my blessings
And rejoice that I can write again
December 11th, 2018
Some things in life we learn from our parents
Other things we learn through experience
Here are a few things that I’ve learned
That we can’t avoid pain in life
There is a place for suffering in our lives
That how we respond to painful situations
Is in our own hands
And that’s what will make the difference
That it’s OK to make mistakes
Making mistakes is part of life
And not something to be afraid of
Mistakes should be learning opportunities
Not to be dreaded and feared
That self care is important
It’s as important as being selfless
Without self care we can’t care for others
Without self care we become resentful
Without self care we can crash and burn
That it’s important to nurture our creativity
That art counts, poetry counts
Art can be a solace in our lives
Creativity a way to unwind
That art brings beauty into our lives
Helps us heal
Helps us shine
December 3rd, 2018
Friendships can be so complicated
Actually human relationships are complicated
Why I wonder to myself
Why is that?
Sometimes our ego gets in the way
Sometimes we misunderstand
Sometimes our feelings get hurt
Sometimes we expect too much
Sometimes when one person has a challenge in life
We take it as them being distant
Sometimes you need to give and not worry too much
About getting back
Sometimes you have to trust that the friendship is still alive
Even though the signs may not point to that
Sometimes we need to just reach out
Our friendship needs to be watered like a plant
But the work of friendship is worth it in the end
Because friendship is the best gift one can give
And get back
Nov. 19th, 2018
Dear readers,
I’ve recently published a second collection of my poems: Collage of Me, Reflections on identity and belonging. It’s the story of how a Persian girl who moved to Canada when she was fourteen dealt with questions of identity and belonging. It’s available on Amazon.
We need not have one category to fit in
We can have complicated identities
As a result of living in various countries
Speaking various languages
Having various roles
We can fit in many different worlds
Instead of being worried because we don’t
Fully fit in one box
We should be happy
We fit in a few boxes
That doesn’t dilute our identity
It enriches it
November 18th, 2018
Where are you from
Is a much more complicated question
To answer now-a-days
In our shrinking world
Where we move easily from one country to the next
Where staying in the same city you were born in is rare
Where are you from
Is harder to answer
Where am I from?
Or where have I lived most of my life?
Where am I from?
What will that say about me?
It puts me in a comfortable category
But it won’t tell you who I am completely or
What experiences I’ve had
Where am I from?
I’ll tell you where as long as you don’t
Put me in a box or make assumptions
Which are not true
Where am I from?
The answer is not simple at all
November 17th, 2018
We feel the need to belong
To be accepted
To be similar to those around us
To fit in
But what if we embrace otherness
Accept the uniqueness of our experiences
The difference in the colour of our skin
Or the country we come from
Realizing that underneath
All these seeming differences
We are one
We all come from Africa
The devisions we have created
Are manmade
Differences can be good if we accept them
And are aware of the underlying oneness
I belong to the human family
And my experiences in life
Make me the unique human being that I am
And that uniqueness
That otherness
Is on the surface
Deep inside we are all one
And when I understand that
I will feel like I belong
No matter where I am
November 12th, 2018
We all want to belong
It’s a little harder when you are visibly or obviously
The odd one out
But that sense of belonging
Comes from within
It’s not always imposed from outside
If I feel like I belong
I act like I belong
And most people will treat me
Like I belong
Yes, there are times when others
Can make me feel like the odd one out
By what they say or what they do
But most of the time
How I see myself is the key, what counts
A trip away from home gave me a new perspective
A trip to the other side of the world brought me closer to my home
We take so much for granted and I’m no exception
It’s hard to know what you have till it’s gone
Montreal may have long brutal winters
Lots of potholes and unending construction
But it’s the city of culture
In Montreal, all races and nationalities live side by side
Our lives are made richer this way
There is much variety and
We’re exposed to different perspectives and ideas
Montreal is a city of art, music, theatre and sports
It’s the city of writers and poets
It’s a place one can be inspired and thrive
It took me going to a land far off
To appreciate what I have at home
To appreciate friendships I’ve made over the years
Having lived in Montreal for seventeen years
This is the place I call home now
October 14th, 2108
I write to sort out my thoughts and figure things out
What do others do who don’t write?
I write to relax and recuperate
What do others do who don’t write?
I write to express myself
What do others do who don’t write?
I write to go to a placeless place and explore
What do others do who don’t write?
I write to breathe out, to exhale
What do others do who don’t write?
I write to bring joy into my life
What do others do who don’t write?
I write to go to my place of calm
What do others do who don’t write?
October 14th, 2018
