African Queen

As a refugee from Somalia coming to the united states at age nine, I had a lot to learn. I had to learn American culture, and my own culture as my parents were raising me to be a Somalian, and not an American. Sometimes those cultures clashed, and I was stuck in the middle, figuring out where I belong and where I did not. Moreover, who was I? Just like any student, I was bullied and ridiculed for my size and what I wore. As a shy introverted girl growing into a woman, I struggled to voice my opinions; I struggled to fight back at all. However, there was a voice inside that wanted to roar, but did know how to set it free. This book is a small compilation of twelve poems that are the manifestation of that voice that roared inside.