Farnaz Fatemi

I hadn't been to an in person poetry reading in SO LONG, so when Fatemi (who I follow on Instagram) told me she would be at a reading in Ann Arbor, just one hour away, I absolutely had to go! She read with two other poets (Jihyun Sun & Carlina Duan) whose work also explores bilingual bicultural lenses of immigration, heritage, and identity. They were all WONDERFUL.

Fatemi read from Sister Tongue. So many poems and moments and feelings stuck with me! A poem about the insecurities and racism she faced when she was eleven. Multiple excerpts from her long prose poem about going to Iran and knowing so little of the language -- learning by context and emotion. Acknowledging the strength of women in Iran right now -- the way others keep expecting the to be cowed, but they just keep showing up.

OF COURSE I bought a copy of her book. Reading it, a few other poems jumped out at me (especially "Radish Garden"), but it is such a joy to read poetry when hearing the poet read those same works is still fresh in your mind.

A beautiful collection. Made me fall in love with poetry all over again.… (more)