Tupac, Anne Frank, & Hannah Szenes – Poetic Justice Of Beshert
In this shtetl known as life, I wonder if I will see a brighter tomorrow when everyday seems darker than night.
I wonder if heaven has a shtetl, and if I will go there tonight to escape another hate filled day for a brighter tonight.
“My G, My G, I pray that these things never end,
The sand and the sea, the rustle of the waters, the lightings of heaven,
The prayer of man.”
For I am a memory on the Israeli sand, a poem, a song an angel to be beloved and memorialized from the desserts of Israel, to the mixtapes on the block, to the soul within yourself where it ends and were it starts.
We are a rose blossoming from concrete, the poetic justice in the silence of your spark.
My G, My G…
Thank you for setting me free!
Moment in the Mikvah (for Vashtie) ושתי
Vashtie of Persia so beautiful and true,
Yet tainted by the world around–what were you to do?
A shining star from within,
They exiled you into the blowing wind,
Because you wouldn’t obey their every whim.
Don’t dance for the golems who see nothing of you.
You deserve attention. King Ahashvare should have been true.
You should be able to say “no” and still be Queen too.
But, they stomped on your soul and tried to forcefeed you their seed.
Forever lost from what’s within, but I will never forgot that you were a shining star within ושתי.
Jewish Hair
Israeli? Iranian? Spanish? or Greek?
These are questions I love, and questions I seek.
We share the same curls–the same hair that unites.
Tribal markings of curls that flow a brazen display,
I will always keep Brazilian keratin treatments and hair straighteners at bay.
For I love my Jewish hair though it might not be in fashion to you.
Remember, it was just a few months ago, big booties were not in vogue too.
No matter what you might say about my frizzy Jewfro,
My hair is apart of me and means more to me then you will know.
Your ideal of conformity is such a sad display.
I love my hair. When I have a daughter, I will tell her that everyday.
Michele Amira is a student at the University of Maryland.
