Assorted Poetry of Nayyirah Waheed

if you are softer
than before
they came.
you
have been loved.

 

you can not
remain
a
war
between
what you want to say (who you really are).
and
what you should say (who you pretend to be).
your mouth was not designed to eat itself.

-split

 

i lost a whole continent.
a whole continent from my memory.
unlike all other hyphenated americans
my hyphen is made of blood. feces. bone.
when africa says hello
my mouth is a heartbreak.
because i have nothing in my tongue
to answer her.
i do not know how to say hello to my mother.

-african american ii

 

you do not have to be a fire
for
every mountain that blocks you.
you could be a water
and
soft river your way to freedom
too.

-options

 

do not choose the lesser life.
do you hear me.
do you hear me.
choose the life that is. yours.
the life that is seducing your lungs.
that is dripping down your chin.

 

you broke the ocean in
half to be here.
only to meet nothing that wants you.

-immigrant

 

i am trying to remember you
and
let you go
at
the same time.

-the mourn

 

if someone
does not want me
it is not the end of the world.
but
if i do not want me.
the world is nothing but endings.

 

when i am afraid to speak
is when i speak.
that is when it is most important.

-the freedom in fear

 

i am not yours.
i did not make the long hard journey through
and across the spirit world
to
be a man’s ocean.
my body is not yours.
my mouth is not yours.
my water is not yours.
nothing i am belongs to you.
unless i decide
to
open my hand
and
give it to you.

-birthmarks

 

someone can be madly in love with
you. and still not be ready. they can
love you in a way you have never been
loved. and still not join you on the
bridge. and whatever their reasons
you must leave. because you never
ever have to inspire anyone to meet
you on the bridge. you never ever
have to convince someone to do the
work to be ready. there is more
extraordinary love. more love that you
have never seen. out here in this
wide. and wild universe. and there is
the love that will be ready.

 

when you meet that person. a person.
one of your soulmates. let the
connection. relationship. be what it
is. it may be five mins. five hours. five
days. five months. five years. a
lifetime. five lifetimes. let it manifest
itself the way it is meant to. it has an
organic destiny. this way if it stays or
if it leaves. you will be softer. from
having been loved this authentically.
souls come into. return. open. and
sweep through your life for a myriad
of reasons. let them be who. and what
they are meant.

 

things. that should be asked.
often.
in every type of.
relationship:
how is your heart.
is your breath happy. here.
do you feel free.

 

i was made from sex.
there is no shame. in such a creation.

-clean

 

‘as your are.’ says the universe.
‘after…’ you answer.
‘as your are.’ says the universe.
‘before…’ you answer.
‘as your are.’ says the universe.
‘when…’ you answer.
‘as your are.’ says the universe.
‘how…’ you answer.
‘as your are.’ says the universe.
‘why…’ you answer.
‘because
you are happening now.
right now.
right at this moment
and
your happening
is beautiful.
the thing that both keeps me alive
and
brings me to my knees.
you don’t even know how breathtaking you
are.
as you are.’ says the universe through tears.

-as you are | you are the prayer

 

knowing your power
is what creates
humility.
not knowing your power
is what creates
insecurity.

-ego

 

and if your gift is to make people. feel.
something. do not cover that in
apology. do not lie. to accommodate
others’ fear of feeling.