Yosra strings off my mustache Two days after the election In a fancy bakery bathroom in Harvard square There isn’t a lot of light in here but we’re used to this We worry about taking too long We worry about someone knocking on the door, Someone making us leave Before this Yosra joked about lining her hijab with safety pins While we waited for a white family to clean up their table The white father stared at Yosra for too long and said, “I’m so sorry,” He was talking about the mess he and his family had made Like they had made this mess not thinking that we would have to sit in it. Still, at the same time, both of us say, “Don’t even worry about it,” Because we have done all of the worrying for them Our entire lives, Because our mothers have taught us to bring cleaning supplies, Because we have learned to forgive every space we enter, Because Yosra keeps a roll of string in her purse with her At all times For emergencies, And the emergency this time is I’m about to see a white boy. The emergency is I want him to like me And my mustache looks like the subtitles for a foreign movie starring an actress I’ll never look like, Or a stock-ticker for money I’ll never have. Maybe one day I can be chill Like the white girls: The ones who don’t shave for political reasons, The ones who took an entire election cycle to grow out a tuft of armpit hair, The ones who say, “I don’t see what you’re talking about Melissa, You must be crazy, It’s all in your head, Why you don’t you just try to love yourself more?” They say this about my body hair, And not my fear of the world. I think the tragedy was that they were all trying to be nice While the emergency bloomed around us. Yosra doesn’t need to be nice to me. Yosra can see it Because Yosra knows where to look. Yosra puts the string in between her teeth and says, “Okay I think this is the most Middle Eastern thing I’ve ever done.” I think about what the most Guatemalan-Colombian thing I’ve ever done is - Maybe it’s grow? I think about what the most American thing we’ve ever done is And it’s hide in this bathroom. I think about what the most womanly thing we’ve ever done is And it’s live anyway. This isn’t oppression. This is I got you, I believe you, I always have. Yosra tells me she’s leaving, Going back to Iran, “Why stay here?” she says, “Why struggle for a country that doesn’t even want me?” And I think of the Spanish word ojalá, Derived from Arabic, Meaning god willing - If god wills it, If god wants it, If I even believe in a god anymore, If Yosra mercilessly, lovingly pulling out the hairs from my face is a kind of prayer Then god will it, Then god damn it, We will live in this low light. I tell Yosra, “Okay, alright, I think I’m ready, let’s go,” But she says, “No no, Hold still, We are not done yet.”
This poem really moved me; I almost cried. As a person of color, I struggle with the white girl beauty standards that is shoved down our throats. It is certainly not the same struggle, but it's a struggle I can relate to.
this is the most indian muslim gilrl groing up in england thing i've ever seen and it's neither it's something we all understand so thank you for putting it so beautifully. melissa lozada oliva is truly amazing in all fo her work and i revisit it often.
You're really good to look at. Great poem. Take a look at my badass poetry playlist. You probably have heard all the ones that I've saved. Still take a look. Share your favorites also.
“He was talking about the mess he and his family had made, like they had made this mess not knowing we would have to sit in it.” Wow
so noone is going to mention how beautiful of a name "Yosra" is
it means "ease" in Arabic, same word also means "the easy times" or "the good life". It IS a beautiful name :)
loving listen to her calm voice even tho her other more 'energetic' poems r great as well
Mai Nguyen I agree. There is something eerie and wonderful about the way she speaks in this one.
"there isn't a lot of light in here but - we're used to this"
She is so awesome.
"Yosra can see it because she knows where to look."
i just think Melissa is amazing
Love you Melissa! Your poems are always conceptually sound and hit the mark.
Love her cadence!
Yosra strings off my mustache
Two days after the election
In a fancy bakery bathroom in Harvard square
There isn’t a lot of light in here but we’re used to this
We worry about taking too long
We worry about someone knocking on the door,
Someone making us leave
Before this Yosra joked about lining her hijab with safety pins
While we waited for a white family to clean up their table
The white father stared at Yosra for too long and said,
“I’m so sorry,”
He was talking about the mess he and his family had made
Like they had made this mess not thinking that we would have to sit in it.
Still, at the same time, both of us say,
“Don’t even worry about it,”
Because we have done all of the worrying for them
Our entire lives,
Because our mothers have taught us to bring cleaning supplies,
Because we have learned to forgive every space we enter,
Because Yosra keeps a roll of string in her purse with her
At all times
For emergencies,
And the emergency this time is I’m about to see a white boy.
The emergency is I want him to like me
And my mustache looks like the subtitles for a foreign movie starring an actress I’ll never look like,
Or a stock-ticker for money I’ll never have.
Maybe one day I can be chill
Like the white girls:
The ones who don’t shave for political reasons,
The ones who took an entire election cycle to grow out a tuft of armpit hair,
The ones who say,
“I don’t see what you’re talking about Melissa,
You must be crazy,
It’s all in your head,
Why you don’t you just try to love yourself more?”
They say this about my body hair,
And not my fear of the world.
I think the tragedy was that they were all trying to be nice
While the emergency bloomed around us.
Yosra doesn’t need to be nice to me.
Yosra can see it
Because Yosra knows where to look.
Yosra puts the string in between her teeth and says,
“Okay I think this is the most Middle Eastern thing I’ve ever done.”
I think about what the most Guatemalan-Colombian thing I’ve ever done is -
Maybe it’s grow?
I think about what the most American thing we’ve ever done is
And it’s hide in this bathroom.
I think about what the most womanly thing we’ve ever done is
And it’s live anyway.
This isn’t oppression.
This is I got you,
I believe you,
I always have.
Yosra tells me she’s leaving,
Going back to Iran,
“Why stay here?” she says,
“Why struggle for a country that doesn’t even want me?”
And I think of the Spanish word ojalá,
Derived from Arabic,
Meaning god willing -
If god wills it,
If god wants it,
If I even believe in a god anymore,
If Yosra mercilessly, lovingly pulling out the hairs from my face is a kind of prayer
Then god will it,
Then god damn it,
We will live in this low light.
I tell Yosra, “Okay, alright, I think I’m ready, let’s go,”
But she says,
“No no,
Hold still,
We are not done yet.”
You're the best.
Thank you soo much!! Writing an essay on modern poets and she is my topic. I couldn't find more than two typed poets by her.
My FAVORITE of hers.
I was reading her book just this morning!!!!! I didn't know this one had been performed it's like the most amazing deja vu
One of my favorites of hers
This poem really moved me; I almost cried. As a person of color, I struggle with the white girl beauty standards that is shoved down our throats. It is certainly not the same struggle, but it's a struggle I can relate to.
this is the most indian muslim gilrl groing up in england thing i've ever seen and it's neither it's something we all understand so thank you for putting it so beautifully. melissa lozada oliva is truly amazing in all fo her work and i revisit it often.
clicked on this because the name was interesting, but this is possibly one of my favorite poems ever.
Thank you for pronouncing Iran the right way
Yes!! We are Not done yet...
"why struggle for a country that doesn't even want me?"
I literally jumped up and down. I love her so much.
Goddamn Melissa never disappoints. Just amazing poem after amazing poem. This one is no exception.
Melissa is my favvvvv
So moving!
Awesome! Thank you for sharing with the world! ☺
"I think about what the most womanly thing we ever done is and it's live anyway"
*snaps* great!
DAMN
WOW
amazing
Epic 🌟
sis I've FINALLY SEEN another Colombian-Guatamlena girl in the states!
like we unicorns.
where are we hiding yall?
Wow
#Feels. ❤️
Literally how I feel when Kardashians talking about 'body-positivity'
💚
I don't get it, I don't think I can.
"I think of the must womanly thing I've ever done is ,and its live anyway"....🤯
ShE tHE BEST WOW SHES A FRIKING POEt NO I MEAN AS BEAUTIFUL LIKE A POEm ID LIKE TO BE that poem
Who's here in 2024, a couple days after the new election..
yepp.....
Is this Tatte 🥞
You're really good to look at. Great poem. Take a look at my badass poetry playlist. You probably have heard all the ones that I've saved. Still take a look. Share your favorites also.