Al-Laban by Anthony Salandy

Yima* tells me I must break my fast
With shrivelled dates and soured milk

(I long for sweet fruits to disturb my insulin)

Grandma tells me I should think not
Of religion for compliance is weak

(My classmates belittle me for my faith)

I hide in large halls
Where ancient scriptures judge me

(Whilst others yell ‘infidel!, sinner!, half-breed!’)

But still I soldier on as confused
As those who wondered my desert

(In search of soulful sustenance) 

*Yima: colloquial for mother in gulf Arabic

Anthony is a mixed-race poet & writer whose work tends to focus on social inequality throughout late-modern society. Anthony’s work has been published 130 times internationally. Anthony has 1 published chapbook titled ‘The Great Northern Journey’. Twitter/Instagram: @anthony64120 https://arsalandywriter.com/  Anthony is the Co-Eic of Fahmidan Journal. 

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