Truer Words

As Ali mentioned in his blog post, the 2nd annual Mosquers event is set for February 16th at the University of Alberta.  A couple of friends and I also got together and submitted a film.  We felt that Muslims have a tendency to focus primarily on international issues and rightly so, there many issues directly impacting Muslims all over the world.  However, we decided to take an alternate approach to focus more on local poverty issues.  I also hope to have the film on the blog once I receive it in proper format, but here is the poem I wrote that served as the narrative.

Born Into Poverty

I wake up confused, devoid of direction,
Trying to achieve some semblance of perception.
In a dream a once questioned God about my conception,
and God struck me down with vehement aggression.
I am a victim of extraordinary rendition,
Taken to hell without permission, endlessley tortured, beaten and brought to submission.

The piercing wind ravages the essence of my core,
I plead with God, please no more, no more.
I inject the needle of necessity info my designated pore,
As euphoria rushes through my soul like a tsunami approaching a sea-side shore.
For a moment, my body isn’t sore.
For a moment, I am an invincible hero in folklore.
For a moment, I forget I am poor.
For a moment, I forget I am poor.

My mundane life loses colour gradually.
My reality becomes black and white like conservative ideology.
Subjected to solitary confinement damages me psychologically.
I scream out in anguish to expel the demon from inside of me,
while weeping tears of blood incessantly.
To escape the solitude I reach for the flute in my trolley,
and perform the monotonous melody of malignant melancholy.

Stereotypes reign supreme for those like me.
They don’t realize I was born into poverty.
Unable to free myself from the clutches of darkness - I want to see.
I again inject myself with the venom of veneration - I am an exception to God’s mercy.
My vision blurs and my veins freeze, I see my tombstone standing in my memory,
etched with the phrase “here lies Mr. Nobody”.

I forget I am poor, for eternity…
I forget I am poor, for eternity…