Tuesday, 11 January 2011

poem eleven

-

for women who are 'difficult' to love.



you are a horse running alone
and he tries to tame you
compares you to an impossible highway
to a burning house
says you are blinding him
that he could never leave you
forget you
want anything but you
you dizzy him, you are unbearable
every woman before or after you
is doused in your name
you fill his mouth
his teeth ache with memory of taste
his body just a long shadow seeking yours
but you are always too intense
frightening in the way you want him
unashamed and sacrificial
he tells you that no man can live up to the one who
lives in your head
and you tried to change didn't you?
closed your mouth more
tried to be softer
prettier
less volatile, less awake
but even when sleeping you could feel
him travelling away from you in his dreams
so what did you want to do love
split his head open?
you can't make homes out of human beings
someone should have already told you that
and if he wants to leave
then let him leave
you are terrifying
and strange and beautiful
something not everyone knows how to love.

42 comments:

Bakhita Matrice aka BM said...

Thank you for writing this. It has brought tears to my eyes and ushered hope into my heart.

amir sulaiman said...

ya Rabbi

deeznia said...

oh warsan,
i wish my heart didn't know this
tears wrestle my eyes

MamoyoBornFree said...

Beautiful. Just beautiful.

MamoyoBornFree said...

Beautiful. Just beautiful.

MamoyoBornFree said...

Beautiful. Just beautiful.

negrita said...

breathless.

Munira said...

alhamdulillah.. I am now a fan ;)

Zayna Daze said...

its like you've cut me open with this piece. I felt every word Warsan.

OriginalNajeema said...

My heart does know this and they have left. And I have cried, and tried to change, and screamed at myself for betraying myself. I am how I love.
Thank you.

Calligrafist said...

I Love It! Man, Wow! I Can Appreciate This...

-Is(Smile)-

Lisa D. Sparks said...

Wow. Just, wow! I believe in poetry again. This is fire.

Lisa D. Sparks said...

Wow. Just, wow! I believe in poetry again. This is fire.

The said...

wow. great poem. thanks for sharing it!

DaVida Chanel said...

BEAUTIFUL! And timely. Thank you!

DaVida Chanel said...

Beautiful. Timely. I love! Thank you.

sophistiphunk said...

this poem is an anthem.
love.
s.s.

Music Snob said...

Right on. An Anthem! :D

Music Snob said...

Right on. An anthem! :D

signorina g. said...

this shit is tattoo worthy for sure.g

carolegoeller said...

my god, this is stunningly gorgeous.

knox said...

God, Warsan! As usual.

I can feel every line. The truth of this.

"You are terrifying
and strange and beautiful
something not everyone knows how to love."

I feel myself quoting this for a long while to come.

Melissa said...

sounds like me :(*big sighs*

Inner Peace said...

This poem is THE BUSINESS!!!

krisaela said...

Thank you. This was a slice of grapefruit for me.

Banneker said...

thank you so much for writing this. i absolutely love it. the message in this poem is so close to my heart. i feel every line you wrote so deeply because i am this girl! thank you for putting this energy out into the world.

upfromsumdirt said...

this is why, in the american south, every good relationship comes equipped with cast iron skillets - one might THINK they're gonna leave, might even try it once/maybe twice (if head is made of blue steel!) - but eventually we all end up sealed in the tiny brick room, behind bars in the basement. we even learn to like it - be sealed up for seven days without food or water and when your woman brings you your first hot meal all you see is sunshine!

great post!

William L. Sandles said...

At first read this poem scared me. Scared me like nothing I've ever read before. Of course I read it as more of a man, than as a "reader" :) This is what great~truly great poetry does. It burns. My candid first impressions (read: male impressions, so forgive me!) I was afraid that maybe smart black women are afraid of love. Or hesitant because of past relationships to fall in love. But I think it's about the complexity of people and their relationships, and about being strong enough to face whatever life holds for a woman. Thank you for scaring the crap out of me! A poem hasn't made me dizzy from the sheer force of its language and truth in a LONG time! This one does.

Elvira said...

this poem made me cry.
jazakAllah kahyr for writing it.
God bless you always inshaAllah ameen!

Elvira said...

this made me cry.
JazakAllah khayr for writing it.
God bless you always sis! ameen

Brandi said...

This was fire thank you for sharing.

kiwispeak said...

You've made me walk about dizzy.
love this.

Elle Ce Ce Nabs said...

My heart almost lept out...that you for such hopefilled words!

Elle Ce Ce Nabs said...

You make me wanna write again with no apologies...

Safiyyah said...

I'm with Lisa Sparks: wow, just wow!

mohamedai said...

Warsan, you have no idea how much I needed this at this very moment. Thank you. And I am glad I came across your blog.

scarlet said...

OMG. you poem cuts straight to my core with a machete. I know this. I was this. I tried... and in trying, almost died. thank you. thank you for celebrating the wild beauty and wisdom of 'difficult' women. more power too you sister! respeck & love, Sx

ashley said...

You darling are amazing.
I posted this on my own blog!
Thank you for this.
Feels very personal.

Tangy. said...

Thank You. I will read this daily

Tangy. said...

Thank you. I will read this daily.

K. C. Scodova said...

I love it. This can be said for us men as well.

www.scodovapoem.blogspot.com

Bookcaterpillar said...

I am so grateful for this poem. Thank you.