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Nejma
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Poetry (2014)all
of the
unsleeping. gold sweeping. poems.
i have in my hands.
of the
unsleeping. gold sweeping. poems.
i have in my hands.
172 pages, Paperback
First published June 16, 2014
793 people are currently reading
9621 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 538 reviews
February 27, 2015
Nayyirah Waheed is brilliant, as always. Before I recommend this book, I would like to point out that her work is intended for POC (people of color). She has been subjected to quite a bit of appropriation lately, and whitewashing her words to fit a broader context is unacceptable. She is okay with non-POCs reading and appreciating, but please do your research on white privilege and appropriation before picking up this very important book.
These are Waheed's own words on the subject:
"appreciate. from afar. from behind the boundary. it is that simple. people of colors' cultures. realities. lives. histories. are sacred. and rife with boundaries. as all sacred things are. decentralize and simply appreciate. the assertion that i do not want non POC engaging with my work is false. engagement is fine. it is the defining of what engagement means. which becomes the issue. what i do not want is non POC appropriating my work. my culture. my experiences. my heritage. my people. and i will not allow salt. or nejma. or for any of my work. to be whitewashed. exploited. exoticized. or to become an educational manual on who we are. these are my boundaries. if anyone is unclear. i wrote salt. and nejma. i write. for the health. the breath. the bone. and the flower. of people of color.
and so i simply assert that my work be appreciated and respected and honored as someone else’s truth. when you engage a POC work. the first thought should be about what it means to that POC. what it might mean to their communities. their cultures. their histories. that should be processed. first. the work in the context of themselves and their world. then. and only then. can your next thoughts be informed properly. then. and only then. when your being. comes into the interplay. from behind the boundary of this person first. and you second. can your perspective be honest. and aligned correctly. decentralizing. involves removing yourself from the center. and appreciating someone else’s reality. someone else's art. as it is. for what it is. leaving alone what you can not touch. or access. and not engaging for what it can give you. what you can take from it. how you can alter it to serve you. but engaging as an honoring and appreciating. of accepting it. for exactly what it is. exactly as it is. exactly who it is. "
That being said, I am a WOC and find profound healing in her work. She speaks to a part of me that has been quiet (silenced) for a long time.
These are Waheed's own words on the subject:
"appreciate. from afar. from behind the boundary. it is that simple. people of colors' cultures. realities. lives. histories. are sacred. and rife with boundaries. as all sacred things are. decentralize and simply appreciate. the assertion that i do not want non POC engaging with my work is false. engagement is fine. it is the defining of what engagement means. which becomes the issue. what i do not want is non POC appropriating my work. my culture. my experiences. my heritage. my people. and i will not allow salt. or nejma. or for any of my work. to be whitewashed. exploited. exoticized. or to become an educational manual on who we are. these are my boundaries. if anyone is unclear. i wrote salt. and nejma. i write. for the health. the breath. the bone. and the flower. of people of color.
and so i simply assert that my work be appreciated and respected and honored as someone else’s truth. when you engage a POC work. the first thought should be about what it means to that POC. what it might mean to their communities. their cultures. their histories. that should be processed. first. the work in the context of themselves and their world. then. and only then. can your next thoughts be informed properly. then. and only then. when your being. comes into the interplay. from behind the boundary of this person first. and you second. can your perspective be honest. and aligned correctly. decentralizing. involves removing yourself from the center. and appreciating someone else’s reality. someone else's art. as it is. for what it is. leaving alone what you can not touch. or access. and not engaging for what it can give you. what you can take from it. how you can alter it to serve you. but engaging as an honoring and appreciating. of accepting it. for exactly what it is. exactly as it is. exactly who it is. "
That being said, I am a WOC and find profound healing in her work. She speaks to a part of me that has been quiet (silenced) for a long time.
June 5, 2023
REREAD (2023)
Nejma was the last book I needed to buy to finally complete my "Black Writers Matter" collection. (I basically want to own every single book by a Black writer that I read.) I had read this poetry collection through Kindle Unlimited three years ago, and since it didn't become a favorite, I was never compelled to pick it up.
It's fairly expensive (18,90€) and the new edition that is now sold is hella ugly (it has a bright pink cover with a pink circle on it). The first edition with the old cover (the one with the beautiful sky/stars/clouds) is sold for 40,00€ upwards. I was miffed and kept postponing buying the book. Last week I saw that a used copy (of what I presumed would be the pink cover) was being sold for 10,17€ – still not the best price but one I could justify, so I decided to snatch it up. Bestie babes, let me tell you, I screamed when I opened the package and saw that it contained the old edition with the beautiful blue cover. I am sooooo happy! Ahhhh!
Anyways, since I now physically own the book I decided to reread it. Sometimes my reading experience is better when reading books physically instead of digitally. And to be quite frank, reading this 172 page poetry collection only takes 20 minutes because the poems are hella short and many pages only contain 1-2 sentences, so it's not a huge commitment.
I can now say that my opinion of this poetry collection hasn't really changed. Waheed's style of poetry (some call it "insta poetry") simply isn't a favorite. All of the short poems (it's really just pretty quotes) didn't do much for me. The poems I did enjoy were the longer ones, the ones in which she examines everyday racism, fetishisation of Black women, the death of Madiba, whitewashed school curricula etc. etc. Unfortunately, those are far and few between.
Another thing I noticed upon this reread is how disorganised this poetry collection is. There is no thread that weaves itself through it, Waheed jumps mindlessly from topic to topic. Sometimes her tone is serious and accusatory (my favorite!), other times sensual and spiritual (not my cup of tea at all). Nejma feels weirdly disjointed. Grief, religion, womanhood, love, one's relationship to one's parents, Nelson Mandela, creativity/writing etc. etc. – Waheed wants too much and her poetry (for the most part) is too surface level to really interrogate any of these topics in any meaningful way.
I still think Waheed is one of the better "insta poets", her first collection Salt is probably the best in this genre. And if these short, highly quotable poems are to your liking you will definitely love Waheed.
Favorite quote this time around: "all the women. / in me. / are tired." bc MOOD
ORIGINAL REVIEW (2020)
I really enjoyed Salt by Nayyirah Waheed, so I thought I would give her other poetry collection a go as well. Nejma was definitely an interesting collection as well, however, it didn't manage to woe me as much as its predecessor. Nonetheless, Nayyirah remains a super fascinating figure to me and I wish she was still publishing today.
However, similarly to salt., the few poems that I did enjoy were the ones discussing racial identity (more specifically what it means to be 'African American' and how Nayyirah navigates that). There are many poems in which she calls out the effects that white supremacy has on education, beginning with the fact that all the writers Nayyirah encountered in school were white, from Shakespeare, Keats and Wilde to Plath, Wolfe and Bronte. Nayyirah bemoans the fact that she was force-fed these voices that had nothing to with her and that demanded of her to reject the nuances of her own self:
Nayyirah also spoke up about the fetishisation of Black people – our bodies as well as our art. In one incredible poem she says that her Blackness cannot save any white person. She is not here to help them escape or comfort them or make them feel better about themselves. Again, it is an incredibly powerful poem that put into words what many of us feel:
Also in the current context, many Black people (myself included) are left wondering whether white artists responding to Black Lives Matter are doing so because they truly are concerned about Black lives, or if they simply recognise the financial and critical benefits that go along with creating work around these subjects.
So, as you can see, a few poems in nejma provided great food for thought and were absolutely beautiful and powerful. I wouldn't want to miss them from my life. However, it still holds true that the majority of this collection (I'd say about 80%) was completely forgettable for me which is why I cannot rate this higher. Nonetheless, I do hope that you give Nayyirah's work a go if some of these poems seemed interesting to you. It's important to support Black creators and every dime going in Nayyirah's direction is a dime well spent.
Nejma was the last book I needed to buy to finally complete my "Black Writers Matter" collection. (I basically want to own every single book by a Black writer that I read.) I had read this poetry collection through Kindle Unlimited three years ago, and since it didn't become a favorite, I was never compelled to pick it up.
It's fairly expensive (18,90€) and the new edition that is now sold is hella ugly (it has a bright pink cover with a pink circle on it). The first edition with the old cover (the one with the beautiful sky/stars/clouds) is sold for 40,00€ upwards. I was miffed and kept postponing buying the book. Last week I saw that a used copy (of what I presumed would be the pink cover) was being sold for 10,17€ – still not the best price but one I could justify, so I decided to snatch it up. Bestie babes, let me tell you, I screamed when I opened the package and saw that it contained the old edition with the beautiful blue cover. I am sooooo happy! Ahhhh!
Anyways, since I now physically own the book I decided to reread it. Sometimes my reading experience is better when reading books physically instead of digitally. And to be quite frank, reading this 172 page poetry collection only takes 20 minutes because the poems are hella short and many pages only contain 1-2 sentences, so it's not a huge commitment.
I can now say that my opinion of this poetry collection hasn't really changed. Waheed's style of poetry (some call it "insta poetry") simply isn't a favorite. All of the short poems (it's really just pretty quotes) didn't do much for me. The poems I did enjoy were the longer ones, the ones in which she examines everyday racism, fetishisation of Black women, the death of Madiba, whitewashed school curricula etc. etc. Unfortunately, those are far and few between.
Another thing I noticed upon this reread is how disorganised this poetry collection is. There is no thread that weaves itself through it, Waheed jumps mindlessly from topic to topic. Sometimes her tone is serious and accusatory (my favorite!), other times sensual and spiritual (not my cup of tea at all). Nejma feels weirdly disjointed. Grief, religion, womanhood, love, one's relationship to one's parents, Nelson Mandela, creativity/writing etc. etc. – Waheed wants too much and her poetry (for the most part) is too surface level to really interrogate any of these topics in any meaningful way.
I still think Waheed is one of the better "insta poets", her first collection Salt is probably the best in this genre. And if these short, highly quotable poems are to your liking you will definitely love Waheed.
Favorite quote this time around: "all the women. / in me. / are tired." bc MOOD
ORIGINAL REVIEW (2020)
I really enjoyed Salt by Nayyirah Waheed, so I thought I would give her other poetry collection a go as well. Nejma was definitely an interesting collection as well, however, it didn't manage to woe me as much as its predecessor. Nonetheless, Nayyirah remains a super fascinating figure to me and I wish she was still publishing today.
sometimes I want to say it.She is a self-described “quiet poet”, which means that barely anything about her life is known to the public. She also seems to have deleted all of her social media, so it's nearly impossible to get a hold of her. She was also way ahead of her time (she started out on Tumblr in the 00s) and even since writers that came after her (e.g. Rupi Kaur) have overshadowed her, it is important (in my humble opinion) to give credit where credit is due: many insta poets wouldn't be where they are today without Nayyirah Waheed. She truly paved the way. Back in the day, her style of poetry was heavily criticised and when she didn't manage to publish her poems traditionally, she simple did it on her own with the help of independent publishers such as Create Space. A method that is still used by insta poets today. Her approach to topics like (self-)love, feminism, and racial identity was iconic and remains a source of inspirations for many poets writing today.
and there is nothing in english. that will say it.
i walk intoThe poems in nejma come from a place of suffering and introspection. Judging from other reviews, many people have been moved by them. I can definitely see why. The poems in this collection range from the extremely angry to the tiredly gracious to the most subtle that may break your heart. However, for me, most of them remained flat. Unlike salt., which I found oddly refreshing and moving, the majority of poems in nejma didn't leave a lasting impression on me. A lot of the poems just felt too fleeting and too short. On top of that, I was not a fan of the design/ layout of the book, with many pages only showcasing a single sentences, and therefore having one poem being spread out over five to ten pages. That seemed unnecessary to me.
a poem
and walk out some else.
However, similarly to salt., the few poems that I did enjoy were the ones discussing racial identity (more specifically what it means to be 'African American' and how Nayyirah navigates that). There are many poems in which she calls out the effects that white supremacy has on education, beginning with the fact that all the writers Nayyirah encountered in school were white, from Shakespeare, Keats and Wilde to Plath, Wolfe and Bronte. Nayyirah bemoans the fact that she was force-fed these voices that had nothing to with her and that demanded of her to reject the nuances of her own self:
until we are so beleaguered andThese lines are incredibly powerful. I've been rating about how fucked up most curriculums are (whether you look at the United States of America or any European country). White is always the default. The curriculum only values white voices, white POVs. It's sickening. Literally. White supremacy and anti-Blackness can be found in every curriculum, no matter where you turn your head, as a Black child in the system you cannot escape from it. It's important that we talk about these problems, that we remove this discussion from the margins and put it in the center, right where it belongs. I really appreciate voices like Nayyirah's who speak from the heart and who speak up about how the system fails Black children.
swollen
with a definition of poetry that is white skin and
not us.
that we truck our scalding. our soreness.
behind ourselves and
learn
poetry.
as trauma. as violence. as erasure.
another place we do not exist.
another form of exile
where we should praise. honor. our own starvation.
Nayyirah also spoke up about the fetishisation of Black people – our bodies as well as our art. In one incredible poem she says that her Blackness cannot save any white person. She is not here to help them escape or comfort them or make them feel better about themselves. Again, it is an incredibly powerful poem that put into words what many of us feel:
I have no idea who you are.These poems of Nayyirah's ooze empowerment. She knows her worth. She knows her shit. She knows how to set boundaries. I truly admire her strength. It takes a lot of time to come to these realisations and then it takes a lot of courage to put them into words. I really loved what she said about her art as well: “my work is not a literary zoo. / for you to come observe. learn. about the animals. [...] it is a boundary. / i am a boundary.” These boundaries are so important. I feel like the appropriation and fetishisation of Black culture and Black art is not talked about enough. There is a lot of lewd voyeurism masquerading as empathy going on. Nayyirah Waheed makes it very clear that she writes for women of color. As a white woman you have to understand that her words are not meant for you, do not include you, do not address. That's her boundary. You cannot claim her work. It is hers. You have to respect that these poems are written by a Black women for Black women.
and i laugh
incredulous and insulted.
at the notion
that
my blackness could ever be your first love. that my blackness if your freedom.
that my blackness is yours.
Also in the current context, many Black people (myself included) are left wondering whether white artists responding to Black Lives Matter are doing so because they truly are concerned about Black lives, or if they simply recognise the financial and critical benefits that go along with creating work around these subjects.
So, as you can see, a few poems in nejma provided great food for thought and were absolutely beautiful and powerful. I wouldn't want to miss them from my life. However, it still holds true that the majority of this collection (I'd say about 80%) was completely forgettable for me which is why I cannot rate this higher. Nonetheless, I do hope that you give Nayyirah's work a go if some of these poems seemed interesting to you. It's important to support Black creators and every dime going in Nayyirah's direction is a dime well spent.
Read
February 7, 2017I love Salt. by Nayyirah Waheed so I was excited for this collection as well. But it didn't pack the same punch as Salt. There were a few lines that I loved, mainly being the famous
but other then those few I didn't love anything else. I would say you can skip this and just read Salt
"I am mine before I am ever anyone else's."
but other then those few I didn't love anything else. I would say you can skip this and just read Salt
June 21, 2014
"the whole book is weeping.
and
every pore of this book is joy.
and
that is the feast."
and
every pore of this book is joy.
and
that is the feast."
December 1, 2020
This collection started out with really really short poems, more like one liners. But as I continued they got longer and then further on there were really beautiful ones. I still think Nayyirah Waheed deserves more recognition. Her poetry is as good as Rupi Kaur’s, who I also love.
Really enjoyed this one but still think Salt was better.
Really enjoyed this one but still think Salt was better.
January 14, 2018
Gorgeous. I always say I hate short, sentence-like poetry, but this is injected full of meaning and empowerment and I can’t recommend it enough.
June 4, 2018
“i am writing this book.This is another BR with THE most
i am writing a daughter”
This book! This damn book! This damn author! I love her! I have no words to explain just how beautifully she writes and how she reaches deep inside and just changes and makes you feel something, a thing you didn’t even know was there to begin with! All I can say and think about is, what a beautiful and haunted place must the author’s mind be, to have such thoughts! What a beautiful soul she must be, to have written such things!
While reading this book, I was discussing it with a colleague who also reads and writes poetry. I told them how racism is a strong topic in this. And they said to me and I quote: “Oh come on, racism is a thing of the past. Things don’t work like that anymore.”
I bring this up bcz if your thoughts chime in with that statement, you might not want to read this book bcz if racism was a strong topic in Salt, here it is even stronger, to a point that one who doesn’t agree might take offence. So steer clear of this, if you don’t believe in the concept.
“my blackness came to save you. came to help you escape. the clutches of racism. of having that beast anywhere inside you. around you. next to you. your comfort. intimacy. proximity. with my blackness confirms. and affirms. your nonracism. your lack of hate. it is this heady trip. this painful awesome tryst. that brings you. flushed and moon eyed. to my door with thank yous. and i love yous. you have taught me to be a better person. you have changed my life. but this was never a relationship. i have no idea who you are. and i laugh incredulous and insulted. at the notion that my blackness could ever be your first love. that my blackness is your freedom. that my blackness is yours.After reading Salt, I had REALLY high expectations from Nejma! Unfortunately, those were not met. Not even by a long shot. That’s mostly bcz Salt was much better-rounded and it was more of a complete package in terms of variety and topics touched by the author. This one is not as impressive in that context but on the whole, this is something beyond the words or reviews of mere mortals like me.
—fetish”
Often I have seen hurt people cursing the ones who brought them pain and tears. I’ve done that too. Even recently, I had a friend breakdown and curse people they couldn’t, wouldn’t, ever want to be in harm’s way and I was left wondering if we pay for such an act. It may not be true what the author said here in this context but I hope it is true bcz it’s something that brings me peace.
“the prayers where we do not wish others well. for all the brilliant. fetid. noxious. reasons. the prayers we want to wash from the sky. as soon as they leave our imagination. the ones born with no bones. so they leave no trace. the harmful prayers. we pray. because we have been harmed. we are forgiven those too.”I cannot say how glad I am that I picked these books from Nayyirah Waheed on impulse. I absolutely love the books and I absolutely love her! And this book is just so damn beautiful and sad at the same time! I wish it never ended! And I know for a fact that I will be re-reading both her books soon and I will probably find even more depht than I did the first time around.
“this whole book is weeping. And every pore of this book is joy. and that is the feast.”
May 31, 2018
i sang a god alive for you
every poem. here.
is an unwrite.
of all that has been written in me without. permission.
Once again, posting a book review with Dear Old Koko Kohli
'Sup, matie?
And of course, credits of the book recommendation go to Ms Koko XD
I LOVE POETRY. I LOVE POETRY. I. FREAKING. LOVE. POETRY.
Just wanted to put it out there that I absolutely, completely, inherently, charismatically, willfully, unconditionally adore good poetry. It has probably become one of my most favorite genres (which I think is a bit of a paradox and bit funny since my other favorite genres are murder and dark-fiction) and who else to thank but dear Nayyirah Waheed, one of the greatest poets the walk this unworthy soil and one with possibly the most haunting yet intriguing minds of all time.
Till the day I take my last breath, I shall recount Nayyirah’s beautiful, beautiful words and pray they nourish my soul just a bit more.
And how can they not nourish when they hold such words?
the sun cleanses itself.
i cleanse myself.
for both of us.
it is morning.
— wudū
Or
when words take off their clothes. for me.
so i can write. them
exactly. as they are.
— skin
Or
drop a name in the water.
drop a name in the water.
and a name in the water.
drop another name in the water.
and another.
and another.
and another.
and another.
and another.
and another.
and another.
and another.
and another.
and another.
until
there are no more bodies in your body.
— the rivering
In all sense, this book is a continuation of Salt, an equally beloved book. Each piece of poetry weaves into the other one, the emerging pattern one that presents a sight to behold, and I call that Nayirrah’s ability to portray magic through words.
there is prayer in poem.
when i am writing
i am praying.
all the prayers that are too soft.
too young.
too old.
to say.
And if anyone is skeptic of her power, I’d say take a look at the book through the eyes of a lost adult, and through her poems, you’ll find yourself a bit less lost in the world.
sometimes
i smell my parents
on my words.
and i weep.
And just when you think the woman’s capabilities are limited to a prowess in words, Nayirrah surprises you with bold connotations subtly hidden in her words
and so. we are here. brown babies. worshipping. feeding. the glutton that is white literature. even after it dies.
— the hot wash
(years later. the conclusion:
Shakespeare is relative.
white literature is relative.
that we are force fed the meat of
an animal
that our bodies will not recognize. as inherent nutrition.
is not relative.
is inert.)
Or
there is a small bee in my writing.
it is a small gift. from the ancestors.
to keep my work pure.
— bee
To be very honest, I could keep on quoting every single piece from her book just to show you how much of an impact she has had on me and how much of an impressive influence she could have on adults and teens alike.
I’d like to end this review by saying that I hope bright stars with the ocean’s worth of light in them like Nayirrah never, ever ever stop writing. The world would continue to portray the chance of redeeming itself just then
‘as you are.’ says the universe.
‘after…’ you answer.
‘as you are.’ says the universe.
‘before…’ you answer.
‘as you are.’ says the universe.
‘when…’ you answer.
‘as you are.’ says the universe.
‘how…’ you answer.
‘as you 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
And
we
return to each
other
in waves.
this is how water
loves.
there is a god in writing.
a soft. roaring. unconditional. home of a god.
who prays to me.
Book soundtrack: Petal by Bibio
this whole book is weeping.
and
every pore of this book is joy.
and
that is the feast.
Till next time.
every poem. here.
is an unwrite.
of all that has been written in me without. permission.
Once again, posting a book review with Dear Old Koko Kohli
'Sup, matie?
And of course, credits of the book recommendation go to Ms Koko XD
I LOVE POETRY. I LOVE POETRY. I. FREAKING. LOVE. POETRY.
Just wanted to put it out there that I absolutely, completely, inherently, charismatically, willfully, unconditionally adore good poetry. It has probably become one of my most favorite genres (which I think is a bit of a paradox and bit funny since my other favorite genres are murder and dark-fiction) and who else to thank but dear Nayyirah Waheed, one of the greatest poets the walk this unworthy soil and one with possibly the most haunting yet intriguing minds of all time.
Till the day I take my last breath, I shall recount Nayyirah’s beautiful, beautiful words and pray they nourish my soul just a bit more.
And how can they not nourish when they hold such words?
the sun cleanses itself.
i cleanse myself.
for both of us.
it is morning.
— wudū
Or
when words take off their clothes. for me.
so i can write. them
exactly. as they are.
— skin
Or
drop a name in the water.
drop a name in the water.
and a name in the water.
drop another name in the water.
and another.
and another.
and another.
and another.
and another.
and another.
and another.
and another.
and another.
and another.
until
there are no more bodies in your body.
— the rivering
In all sense, this book is a continuation of Salt, an equally beloved book. Each piece of poetry weaves into the other one, the emerging pattern one that presents a sight to behold, and I call that Nayirrah’s ability to portray magic through words.
there is prayer in poem.
when i am writing
i am praying.
all the prayers that are too soft.
too young.
too old.
to say.
And if anyone is skeptic of her power, I’d say take a look at the book through the eyes of a lost adult, and through her poems, you’ll find yourself a bit less lost in the world.
sometimes
i smell my parents
on my words.
and i weep.
And just when you think the woman’s capabilities are limited to a prowess in words, Nayirrah surprises you with bold connotations subtly hidden in her words
and so. we are here. brown babies. worshipping. feeding. the glutton that is white literature. even after it dies.
— the hot wash
(years later. the conclusion:
Shakespeare is relative.
white literature is relative.
that we are force fed the meat of
an animal
that our bodies will not recognize. as inherent nutrition.
is not relative.
is inert.)
Or
there is a small bee in my writing.
it is a small gift. from the ancestors.
to keep my work pure.
— bee
To be very honest, I could keep on quoting every single piece from her book just to show you how much of an impact she has had on me and how much of an impressive influence she could have on adults and teens alike.
I’d like to end this review by saying that I hope bright stars with the ocean’s worth of light in them like Nayirrah never, ever ever stop writing. The world would continue to portray the chance of redeeming itself just then
‘as you are.’ says the universe.
‘after…’ you answer.
‘as you are.’ says the universe.
‘before…’ you answer.
‘as you are.’ says the universe.
‘when…’ you answer.
‘as you are.’ says the universe.
‘how…’ you answer.
‘as you 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
And
we
return to each
other
in waves.
this is how water
loves.
there is a god in writing.
a soft. roaring. unconditional. home of a god.
who prays to me.
Book soundtrack: Petal by Bibio
this whole book is weeping.
and
every pore of this book is joy.
and
that is the feast.
Till next time.
August 13, 2016
I wanted to love this, because Salt blew me away when I first read it, but sadly I didn't. It was an enjoyable read with some of the most quotable lines I've ever read but still I felt like there was something missing this time around. Like she was just going through the motions.
I don't know what else to say because that's what I got from the book.
I don't know what else to say because that's what I got from the book.
May 3, 2020
je ne suis pas très fan de ce style de poésie.
April 19, 2017
"this whole book is weeping.
and
every pore of this book is joy.
and
that is the feast. "
Painstakingly-beautiful. I really love Nayyirah Waheed's writing style, she persuasively describes
the throes of life,
colour & race discrimination & the
whole story in few stanzas.
I like this one too but her previous book 'salt' had a stronger impact on me.
Few of my favorite lines are:
"a poem can eat a person
whole.
for years. "
"melanin is memory.
future memory.
past memory.
your memory.
the memory of life. all.
in your skin.
— melanin"
"a friend. is someone who supports your breath".
and
every pore of this book is joy.
and
that is the feast. "
Painstakingly-beautiful. I really love Nayyirah Waheed's writing style, she persuasively describes
the throes of life,
colour & race discrimination & the
whole story in few stanzas.
I like this one too but her previous book 'salt' had a stronger impact on me.
Few of my favorite lines are:
"a poem can eat a person
whole.
for years. "
"melanin is memory.
future memory.
past memory.
your memory.
the memory of life. all.
in your skin.
— melanin"
"a friend. is someone who supports your breath".
November 14, 2014
Let me just say it, I fucking ADORE Nayyirah Waheed. If that woman were to publish a shopping list, I'm certain I'd read it because her words reek of tenderness and grief and anger and ache and longing and love and hurt and pain and joy and life and everything that is beautiful and hideous in this world.
November 18, 2016
Stunningly painful, dazzlingly bitter, angst-ridden at times, and soul touching collection.
I liked this one as well, but Salt. hit me harder.
I liked this one as well, but Salt. hit me harder.
June 12, 2017
“the truth is
you were born for you.
you were wanted by you.
you came for you.
you are here for you.
your existence is yours.
yes.”
June 28, 2025
“all the women.
in me.
are tired.”
oh I feel you Nayyirah… I feel you.
“i am trying to remember you and let you go at the same time”
🥀
in me.
are tired.”
oh I feel you Nayyirah… I feel you.
“i am trying to remember you and let you go at the same time”
🥀
February 26, 2018
(what is the necessity of a black child being this high off of whiteness.)
and so. we are here. brown babies. worshipping. feeding. the glutton that is white literature. even after it dies.
I really loved reading these poems. It is definitely meant for people of colour, since on some level, we could all understand what Waheed is trying to communicate. They focused a lot on identity. On being who you are no matter what others say who you are.
i am mine.
before i am ever anyone else’s.
I especially loved the letters to Nelson Mandela. They were gut-wrenching and raw.
Personally, I wasn’t a fan of the poems about poems. I found them too on the nose, but that’s just my subjective opinion. After all…
there is no healthier drug than creativity.
and so. we are here. brown babies. worshipping. feeding. the glutton that is white literature. even after it dies.
I really loved reading these poems. It is definitely meant for people of colour, since on some level, we could all understand what Waheed is trying to communicate. They focused a lot on identity. On being who you are no matter what others say who you are.
i am mine.
before i am ever anyone else’s.
I especially loved the letters to Nelson Mandela. They were gut-wrenching and raw.
Personally, I wasn’t a fan of the poems about poems. I found them too on the nose, but that’s just my subjective opinion. After all…
there is no healthier drug than creativity.
September 16, 2014
"drop a name in the water.
drop a name in the water.
and a name in the water.
drop another name in the water.
and another.
and another.
and another.
and another.
and another.
and another.
and another.
and another.
and another.
and another.
until
there are no more bodies in your body."
-the rivering, nayyirah waheed | from 'nejma'
nayyirah waheed is a messenger. nejma is her scroll. her words electric, jolting the Spirit to see it's self anew. in nejma, waheed reveals herself to be a rebel- unafraid of exploring the fullness of life, the dichotomy of being. the complexities of color and the forgetfulness of the colonized tongue. ever mindful of the state this world, nejma features a fitting homage to Baba Mandela and in one of the most memorable pieces, waheed symbolically 'leaves a light on' for each of our missing sisters missing in Nigeria.
i value her presence in the literary world. intentional. searing. provoking. honest. she says for us what our skin screams into the atmosphere. unheard but felt. unseen but seen. i digested nejma in bits. treating it like a delicacy. consuming it with care. with care. appetizing. nourishing. alive.
it is my recommendation that you permit yourself the pleasure of reading nayyirah waheed's nejma. she will captivate you and give to you the words your Spirit yearns to whisper into your ears. into your cells. start with 'emotional porn (the black image industry)'. weep. question. challenge. and give thanks.
drop a name in the water.
and a name in the water.
drop another name in the water.
and another.
and another.
and another.
and another.
and another.
and another.
and another.
and another.
and another.
and another.
until
there are no more bodies in your body."
-the rivering, nayyirah waheed | from 'nejma'
nayyirah waheed is a messenger. nejma is her scroll. her words electric, jolting the Spirit to see it's self anew. in nejma, waheed reveals herself to be a rebel- unafraid of exploring the fullness of life, the dichotomy of being. the complexities of color and the forgetfulness of the colonized tongue. ever mindful of the state this world, nejma features a fitting homage to Baba Mandela and in one of the most memorable pieces, waheed symbolically 'leaves a light on' for each of our missing sisters missing in Nigeria.
i value her presence in the literary world. intentional. searing. provoking. honest. she says for us what our skin screams into the atmosphere. unheard but felt. unseen but seen. i digested nejma in bits. treating it like a delicacy. consuming it with care. with care. appetizing. nourishing. alive.
it is my recommendation that you permit yourself the pleasure of reading nayyirah waheed's nejma. she will captivate you and give to you the words your Spirit yearns to whisper into your ears. into your cells. start with 'emotional porn (the black image industry)'. weep. question. challenge. and give thanks.
July 22, 2016
I absolutely loved Salt by Nayyirah Waheed so I was a bit expectant, I still enjoyed this a lot but it might've been too joyous for me. Most poems hinted to heavy subjects yet they were still lovely.
October 21, 2015
Nope! Her collection of poems - 'Salt' is way better than this. These poems seemed quite disconnected and random. I repeat- Nayyirah Waheed's book, 'Salt' is waaay better. Read that instead lol.
August 2, 2017
2.5. I loved a lot of them but there were just too many weird one line statements that I scrolled through in like one minute. And maybe some of them were meant to evoke thought for hours, but sentences like :
“you were three years of water.”
Or
"there is oil in the water.”
Really ruined the collection for me. I guess I just missed the mark. The two stars are for the two poems I really, really loved:
whenever i think about
my mother and father. and the amount of
cruelty
i have ate at their
hands.
i remember that
i am the best of them.
and
i
am
at peace.
— redeem
islam. is still in my life.
we are old soulmates.
who could not work out the knots against skin.
who could not believe in each other. while believing in ourselves.
who could not make each other happy. without.
making each other a sadness.
who
were born to each other. and never fell in love.
but
we still sip tea.
share our hands.
touch hearts.
every now and then.
I am not a Muslim, but I was born and raised a Hindu, so I can substitute Hinduism there and it completely understands how I feel about it. That was beautiful.
“you were three years of water.”
Or
"there is oil in the water.”
Really ruined the collection for me. I guess I just missed the mark. The two stars are for the two poems I really, really loved:
whenever i think about
my mother and father. and the amount of
cruelty
i have ate at their
hands.
i remember that
i am the best of them.
and
i
am
at peace.
— redeem
islam. is still in my life.
we are old soulmates.
who could not work out the knots against skin.
who could not believe in each other. while believing in ourselves.
who could not make each other happy. without.
making each other a sadness.
who
were born to each other. and never fell in love.
but
we still sip tea.
share our hands.
touch hearts.
every now and then.
I am not a Muslim, but I was born and raised a Hindu, so I can substitute Hinduism there and it completely understands how I feel about it. That was beautiful.
March 12, 2017
I expected to love it a lot more, I didn't, but it's alright, I can't love everything :)
“some words. the way they look at you...”
“(may i tell you something.)
the words.
they are in love with you.”
3.75
“some words. the way they look at you...”
“(may i tell you something.)
the words.
they are in love with you.”
3.75
June 22, 2018
Always worth your time
Consider reading this as you won't be disappointed. Nayyirah Waheed's poetry is soul and heart. Like nothing I've come across in a good while. Her work is a brilliant breath of fresh air.
Consider reading this as you won't be disappointed. Nayyirah Waheed's poetry is soul and heart. Like nothing I've come across in a good while. Her work is a brilliant breath of fresh air.
May 22, 2017
Nayyirah Waheed is bold and powerful in her poetry. I met her with her latest book salt. - and fell in love with her writing - and was dying to read Nejma since then but could not pick it up until yesterday. Although it may be a late discover for me, I believe that I read this book at the right time in my life. I may not be an individual of color but as a feminist woman in a Muslim community, I feel her struggle closer to me at this age. Nejma is a strong manifesto from Nayyirah Waheed and I definitely recommend every woman to read this book.
Here are some of my favorite poems from the book:
grieve. so that you can be free to feel something else.
***
what happens when
the war.
no. longer wants. war.
***
all the women.
in me.
are tired.
***
i am mine.
before i am ever anyone
else's.
- in
***
poetry
alters my dna.
every poem is a different
life.
every poem brings me
closer to myself. and
breaks open a new future
inside of me.
***
i am taking a bath.
i am washing a war from
me.
***
i believe that everyone in
the world.
has one poem.
that is their soulmate.
***
whenever i think about
my mother and father.
and the amount of
cruelty
i have ate at their
hands.
i remember that
i am the best of them.
and
i
am
at peace.
- redeem
***
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.
Here are some of my favorite poems from the book:
grieve. so that you can be free to feel something else.
***
what happens when
the war.
no. longer wants. war.
***
all the women.
in me.
are tired.
***
i am mine.
before i am ever anyone
else's.
- in
***
poetry
alters my dna.
every poem is a different
life.
every poem brings me
closer to myself. and
breaks open a new future
inside of me.
***
i am taking a bath.
i am washing a war from
me.
***
i believe that everyone in
the world.
has one poem.
that is their soulmate.
***
whenever i think about
my mother and father.
and the amount of
cruelty
i have ate at their
hands.
i remember that
i am the best of them.
and
i
am
at peace.
- redeem
***
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.
May 21, 2017
I am a poetry person, I love poetry, but what I just read didn't wow me, it was plain, somehow similar to Salt by the same writer.
Some parts were fun, others were just bleh.
Some parts were fun, others were just bleh.
June 17, 2017
I really enjoyed Salt and so I decided to pick up Waheed's second poetry book, Nejma. Whilst I preferred Salt, this collection of poems was really enjoyable and covered a lot of important topics just like the first. Her writing is beautiful and I find that her poetry flows so nicely. I haven't read enough poetry to properly review this collection, the only thing I disliked was that I felt some repetition went on for a little too long (but again, I don't know much about poetry!)
"With a definition of poetry that is white skin and not us. that we tuck our scalding. our soreness. behind ourselves and learn poetry. as trauma. as violence. as erasure. another place where we do not exist. another form of exile."
I think this book would be a really healing and empowering read for black and/or Muslim readers. It really made me think and, though this book is not for me, I think it was a very important read. I would definitely recommend to everyone. The line above was one that really stuck with me. I'd never thought much about the fact that all of the poetry I studied in school was written by white authors and how erasing that is.
"With a definition of poetry that is white skin and not us. that we tuck our scalding. our soreness. behind ourselves and learn poetry. as trauma. as violence. as erasure. another place where we do not exist. another form of exile."
I think this book would be a really healing and empowering read for black and/or Muslim readers. It really made me think and, though this book is not for me, I think it was a very important read. I would definitely recommend to everyone. The line above was one that really stuck with me. I'd never thought much about the fact that all of the poetry I studied in school was written by white authors and how erasing that is.
October 29, 2014
This book was like OK, and I was a bit disappointed. Maybe it came out too early and the author needed more time, but after reading salt. (that was amazing) I expected something more.
Some poems felt unfinished, not as clear and direct as those in salt., and definitely not as touching and harsh.
Anyway, we'll give her as much time as she needs to write her next book
Some poems felt unfinished, not as clear and direct as those in salt., and definitely not as touching and harsh.
Anyway, we'll give her as much time as she needs to write her next book
November 25, 2017
this whole book is weeping.
and every pore of this book is joy.
and that is the feast.
Goshdarnnit! There were repetitive poems here BUT DAMN hits the spot. I fu*king adore you Nayyirah!
and every pore of this book is joy.
and that is the feast.
Goshdarnnit! There were repetitive poems here BUT DAMN hits the spot. I fu*king adore you Nayyirah!
December 13, 2017
Seeing as Nayyirah Waheed's other poetry collection, salt., is one of my absolute favorite reads of the year, I expected to love this collection just as much... but I just didn't. Her writing has definitely improved since this collection.
January 25, 2017
"every poem. here.
is an unwrite.
of all that has been written in
me without. permission."
is an unwrite.
of all that has been written in
me without. permission."
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