IF 

I have had a difficult time writing poetry for the past few years. I was bad at it then I was okay at it and now I’m unsure of myself. I wrote a lot of poetry, mainly throughout undergrad. My poetry professor, Nick Norwood, once said that all poetry is written about two things: sex and death. I guess my poetry was no different. This is a poem I wrote in 2018 about crossing the street with my eyes closed, when I wanted to die.   

Crossing by Najee AR Fareed

I close my eyes. 

Heels kissing the curb,

cars fly back & forth

shifting the air around 

me, shirt in the breeze 

like I’m sailing. I take 

one step.

Then two, three, & four.

Looking no way at all,

a parade of horns, creaky

brakes & booming backseat 

stereos all cease when I open 

my eyes on the other 

side.

-

If I had to say, this is probably the most important poem I’ve ever written. I think it saved my life. 

PROBABLY 

I’ve written one poem over the past two years. I have never typed it until today, I wrote it on a little torn piece of paper from my journal and folded it closed, like a secret. I wrote this poem in February 2021, when I was in love.

***** by Najee AR Fareed (poem titled after a woman, how cliche)

You make my heart sing 

and my memory stop. The sun, 

the stars, the sea, the moon, and 

the tide. The truth of you is 

as beautiful as it all. Gardens 

grow as you be. Be you. 

-

I probably would have written a better poem if I thought I was going to show it to the world. But it was for her eyes and her eyes seemed to like them, so I wrote it again and folded it before pressing it in my journal, just in case. 

MAYBE

Maybe one day, I’ll need a poem to save my love or save my life. I hope it comes out of me then.  

🦋

published May 20, 2022