Facebook-f Twitter Instagram Linkedin-in
Search

In: Anthology

Other Ways of Saying – Nour Kamel

after ‘Glossary’ by Safia Elhillo

 

ya nihar azra2
            oh blue day
                                    from sacre bleu
meaning
                                    the french were here

ragel lousy!
            that guy’s lousy!
                                    from the british
meaning
                                    they said it to us, often

7ewar over shwaya
            it’s a bit over (the top)
                                    from some tv show
meaning
                                    I don’t know which is which

merci
            thank you
                                    from a lady’s mouth
and never
                                    shukran

farang
            the whites
                                    here, there, colonized everywhere
meaning
                                    whiteness, us less

mind chokes on
            two words (at least)
                                  and wonders why
nothing
                                 ever comes out too good

Nour Kamel is perfectly lit and writes things from Cairo, Egypt. Their chapbook Noon (2019) is part of the New-Generation African Poets series and their writing is featured in Asameena, Anomaly, Rusted Radishes, Khabar Keslan, Ikhtyar, Voicemail Poems, Sukoon and Closet Cases (Et Alia Press, 2020). Kamel writes about identity, language, sexuality, queerness, gender, oppression, femininity, trauma, family, lineage, globalisation, loss and food.

Donate to 20.35 Africa

At 20.35 Africa, we seek to build towards the future of African letters that our readers, contributors, and staff deserve – one that uplifts living African poets from all over the continent and the diaspora. This effort is sustained by a committed team whose work is mostly pro bono. 20.35 Africa has thus thrived over the years through the sheer passion of its members, who share an understanding of the imperative position of their work. The other half of that work is you and we hope you will help us continue building into the future with your contributions. 

Your generous support helps us pay for the administrative and general operating costs of running this organization. We want to thank you in advance for supporting living African poets and the pursuit of crafting a new contemporary voice, a collection of voices. Our publications remain free and open to the public for consumption. Your generosity and continuous support make all of this possible.

venmo-logo

@AfricanPoetry

Zelle-logo

donate@2035africa.org