Mejdulene B. Shomali

here, now

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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.