here, now
coming of age in arabish
alif alive at the beginning
the first letter, the end
daad heavy D a dud
like the first stranger you kissed
sheen the sweat on your brow
your body and hers
tuh how she dismisses you
exhales, throws back her head
cough caught in your throat
angry arab letters you wrote your ex
you cipher you sifer
a zero staking its place
ya yeah yeah a fist puncture
a cry, a beckoning
Mejdulene B. Shomali is a teacher, writer, and researcher at University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in The Feminist Wire, Mizna, The Baltimore City Paper, Tinderbox and several academic journals.