Sadiqa de Meijer’s new book of poetry, Qaf’s People, deserves more attention than a man tired after a long day of travelling eating tapas and drinking beer at a restaurant in a square just off the Ramblas in Barcelona can provide. I tried not to get grease on the pages; I think I succeeded. But the great thing about books is that they can be reread when one has more time and attention to give them. As I will be rereading this one.
These poems are beautiful and surprising. They are deeply personal; Qaf, a place in Iranian and Arab mythology, here comes to represent the home of people who are mixed, who have complicated cultural backgrounds, who might not resemble their parents, who receive racist abuse from people who look like their caregivers. That’s de Meijer’s experience, and her family, her personal history, is explored in this book. The poems are brave, too, but not because they’re personal. I can’t imagine writing poems with the syntax and line breaks displayed here. The boldness and inventiveness are remarkable. The women at the next table must’ve wondered why that North American kept saying “wow” throughout his dinner.
I’m a huge fan of de Meijer’s writing. This book increases my admiration for her work.