6 Quotes by Shailja Patel

Westerners drop / I love you’s / into conversation / like blueberries / hitting soft muffin dough / I convert it to shillings / wince.

I love you honey / was the dribbled caramel / of Hollywood movies / Dallas / Dynasty / where electricity surged through skyscrapers / twenty-four hours a day / hot water gushed / at the touch of gleaming taps / banquets obscene as the Pentagon / were mere backdrops / to emotion without consequences / words that / cost nothing / meant nothing.

Readyis never a question just a reminderto breatheand jump.

Seal the borders of my body to pain, seal my eyes, mouth, bellyto any hunger not my own.I rename myselfAmerica. No loveno grief in the world but mine.

Listen:my father speaks Urdulanguage of dancing peacocksrosewater fountainseven its curses are beautiful.He speaks Hindisuave and melodicearthy Punjabisalty rich as saag paneercoastal Kiswahililaced with Arabic,he speaks Gujaratisolid ancestral pride.Five languagesfive different worldsyet Englishshrinkshimdownbefore white menwho think their flat cold spiky wordsmake the only reality.

How much we can do without is our strength.