Too Much Mirch E-Book

Safia Khan

• Herausgeber: The Poetry Business
• Kategorie: Poesie und Drama
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 23

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

Safia Khan's Too Much Mirch dwells in the ambiguities of human relationships, exploring how people and communities can be lifted up or let down by those around them. Sharp and sensitive in their imagery, these poems apply an empathetic lens to every subject they meet – family members, bullies, a cadaver in an anatomy lesson.

Leseprobe

Published 2022 by

New Poets List

An imprint of The Poetry Business

Campo House,

54 Campo Lane,

Sheffield S1 2EG

Copyright © Safia Khan 2022

All Rights Reserved

ISBN 978-1-914914-24-9

eBook ISBN 978-1-914914-25-6

Typeset by The Poetry Business

Printed by Biddles, Sheffield

Smith|Doorstop Books are a member of Inpress:

www.inpressbooks.co.uk

Distributed by IPS UK, 1 Deltic Avenue,

Rooksley, Milton Keynes MK13 8LD

The Poetry Business gratefully acknowledges the support of Arts Council England.

Contents

Home Invasion

Debbie

Dave

On Placement

Dissection Room: Reproductive Anatomy

Aunty

Uncle

Religious Education

Birthday Party

Painting Faces

River

Umma’s Kitchen

Nanny’s Tupperware

For Poppo

Asr Prayer

Fresh Off the Boat

Timeline

The last man on Earth

Taxi Driver

Breakfast with Nanny

But where are you really from?

Ghazal

Third Date

Honeymoon for One

For Mum and Abu

Home Invasion

Salaam, come in! Please could you take off

your shoes? Don’t mind the shrapnel

studding the carpet, we keep slippers for guests.

Careful – we’re always tripping over

landmines on the staircase. In fact,

we’ve blown ourselves to bits

so many times, we started hanging

our limbs on the washing line.

Here’s the fridge, feel free to help yourself,

there’s pilau rice in ice cream tubs,

and fresh hand grenades in cling film.

If you want to dry your hands,

use the caliphate flag next to the oven gloves,

we’re out of kitchen towel. You probably

can’t even hear me over the bloody vacuum,

someone’s always trying to hoover

another war from under the carpet.

If you’re cold, I can bring you a vest,

but remember, no sudden movements!

Sorry about the alarm, it’s automatic –

goes off every time there’s an intruder.

Debbie

Debbie follows the pampered cat when it comes to love. She pulls the skin taut around her temples, tells me to train as a plastic surgeon every time she sees me. The envy of Rumpelstiltskin, her scissors spin split ends into silk. She once gave the moon a blue rinse for free. Botox is scaffolding for her surprised eyebrows. Some pearls only Debbie can gift: all colours are a matter of opinion, especially caramel. You only get one lightning bolt love. Karma will get that nail technician, believe you me. She is clearing her afternoon to attend a Brexit rally. She is closing the shutters to give her hijabis some privacy. (Debbie knows layers better than most). I think she’s f*cking up my fringe, but who am I to tell her? This is Debbie’s world, we’re all just living in it.

Dave

Let’s discharge him today.

We’re wasting a bed keeping him here,

I know a lost cause when I see one.

No need to biopsy, it’s clearly end-stage.