reflection

It took a considerable amount of emotional strength to write this poem. I wanted to do these experiences as much justice as I could because although the characters are fictional, the events are quite real. These realities deeply pain me. Additionally, I recognize that I am in a position of privilege to be able to create poetry about these devastating acts of violence and injustice. Although I can attest to the trauma caused by surveillance practices, I used Adila to tell that story so that I could detach myself from it.

 

I hope that this can help people to reckon with the cruelty that the American government imposes on Muslim people and anyone who is deemed as having an innate propensity for transgression. I hope this pushes back on the notion that America provides some sort of utopian form of salvation for people in my community. As demonstrated by my poem, that is far from the truth.