SWWIM sustains and celebrates women poets by connecting creatives across generations and by curating a living archive of contemporary poetry, while solidifying Miami as a nexus for the literary arts.
A hard sun lights a whirl of life Dust hardly settles nor does smell or sound Worn out engines back fire blasts while horse drawn carts leave behind steaming piles of dung and white capped men headed from the mosque, with scarf headed women on household rounds, drag school worn children with one hand, while the other carries naan, newspaper wrapped & warm, ready for afternoon lunch
Alhamdolillah. Thank Allah, for these blessings.
She watches them, haunches low on the ground Brown desiccated body leathered by the sun One arm long, thin fingers outstretched, while the other adjusts a scarf white as the lanky strands on her wizened head, while a million lines crucifix her mouth, four toothed, gaping wide, a parched cry, calling out
Beta, ghareeb hoon. Kuch Khila do. Allah tujhe sawab dega. I am poor, son. Feed me. Allah will bless you.
Their eyes so recently engaged with heaven, fall to the ground, accompanied by rupees, more often with sound, impatient, reluctant, indifferent, proud-
and in the tightness of each heart that meanest begging bowl small coins clink out a meager, persistent rhythm not enough, not enough it's not enough to lift your hands up in prayer
starving they sit, sleep, die on your stony ground with eyes your same color made deep with despair
O Believers, O Believers this is not enough to buy Allah's forgiveness.
Anjuli Sherin is a Pakistani-American feminist poet and psychotherapist, with a love of sensual language and eastern poetry forms. She focuses primarily on spirituality, nature, politics, and the human condition in her creative work, and writes poetry that is meant to be read out loud. Her latest book, available through Penguin Random House, is Joyous Resilience: A path to individual healing and collective thriving. You can follow her on Instagram at anjulisherinmft or find her at www.anjulisherinmft.com.
