I took a class at UT Austin that asked us to pick a scene from the real world and turn it into poetry. Funnily, it coincided with the Trump travel ban era which inspired me to write something in solidarity with friends who were so heavily impacted by realities beyond their control.

America,

I wanted to start this letter with

A salutation; but I don’t think

You deserve my ‘respect’ and you

Certainly are not ‘dear’ to me.

I see now, your facade of friendship

Under a pretense of help;

When you assaulted me

Like the scorching sun taunting

A land of drought.

I hit a rough patch but,

I never begged you for ‘help’

Only mutual camaraderie.

Yet you stormed in

Flanked by your crew

And bathed me in my own blood.

I spoke,

You never listened.

You heard

About weapons and death and terror

But my voice, my side of the story

Never reached you.

Maybe the connection was blurred,

Between the borders.

But it broke our connection forever –

Never yours,

Iraq

                                                         – Anokhi Kashiparekh