[Music]
good evening ladies and gentlemen my
name is su Kela Islam I am currently a
junior at the University of Michigan
Golu and I am a spoken-word poet but in
elementary school I was just that kid
who liked words I used to collect words
like my friends collected pokemon cards
penultimate vivacious malevolent in
middle school I was that student who
took every creative writing assignment a
little too far and for some reason all
of my fairy tales used to end in zombie
apocalypses I think I don’t really know
why either but in high school I competed
in international youth poetry slams and
just last year I had the honor of
performing at the White House
all of this became possible due to the
people I’ve met through Inside Out
literary arts Detroit which is a
not-for-profit organization that
encourages young writers across Detroit
to think broadly and create bravely if I
hadn’t found out about inside-out I
would not have come to love and create
art knowing that all I need is a pen and
paper to go from just a kid who liked
words to performing at the White House
it really made me appreciate just how
much a little push in the right
direction can take you if I hadn’t found
out about inside out in 2009 I wouldn’t
be me today I wouldn’t have this voice I
wouldn’t have this stage and I
definitely would not have this power to
speak my truth and today I’d like to
perform for you
a poem that speaks that very truth it is
entitled apology to my father my father
has the pride of a thousand sons the
kind of pride that leaks out of him as
he walks the kind of pride that radiates
from him as he talks the kind of pride
that’s so bright that I can’t even look
him in the eyes sometimes my father’s
pride is as deep as the ancient green
forests behind his Bangladeshi home and
as strong as the rigid jackfruit trees
that stand tall even during the monsoon
season floods that’s why I know that he
will never accept my apologies dear
father you came to this country only the
clothes on your back and the hopes and
dreams of your family in your pocket
hopes and dreams so heavy that they wage
you down every step you took putting so
much pressure on you that you melt to
the ground in prayer time and time again
I’m sorry that this country will not
accept you I’m sorry that your skin is
too
Brown too similar to dirt to be worth
anything if anything it’s only good for
their cheap labor I’m sorry your English
is too broken like jagged shards of
glass they’re too afraid of cutting
themselves on your sentence fragments so
they clench their fists full of insults
before even getting to know you I’m
sorry your faith is too strong that it’s
become a threat to the people around you
instead of realizing how beautiful your
voice sounds coming from the minaret of
a mosque they silenced your needs and
turn a deaf ear to your problems it’s
been two decades since my father came
here and he’s begun swallowing his pride
like diabetes pills doctor’s orders
the unseen unheard unless you were born
in this country you will always have
second priority while sitting in the
waiting room but my father’s sight has
gone bad from turning a blind eye to the
people who mock him so many times that
he can’t even read the fine print on his
prescription maybe that’s why he takes a
little too much overdosing on becoming a
pushover in a society that has no
problems pushing him over the edge
father I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m writing a
poem to you in the language you’ll never
fully understand I’m sorry I can’t even
properly tell you how much I love you
because they didn’t let me speak your
mother tongue in the school I was
adopted into I’m sorry I’m sorry
I’m sorry this country is such a cruel
lover to you binding you to it with
blackmail I know you’re only in this
destructive relationship for the sake of
your children and your children with one
foot in America and the other in
Bangladesh no you can’t fight a war when
you’re standing at the border so when
people fire insults your children follow
in your footsteps overdosing on silence
swallowing the pride of a thousand suns
and becoming shadows that can only carry
apologies thank you
[Applause]
you
good evening ladies and gentlemen my
name is su Kela Islam I am currently a
junior at the University of Michigan
Golu and I am a spoken-word poet but in
elementary school I was just that kid
who liked words I used to collect words
like my friends collected pokemon cards
penultimate vivacious malevolent in
middle school I was that student who
took every creative writing assignment a
little too far and for some reason all
of my fairy tales used to end in zombie
apocalypses I think I don’t really know
why either but in high school I competed
in international youth poetry slams and
just last year I had the honor of
performing at the White House
all of this became possible due to the
people I’ve met through Inside Out
literary arts Detroit which is a
not-for-profit organization that
encourages young writers across Detroit
to think broadly and create bravely if I
hadn’t found out about inside-out I
would not have come to love and create
art knowing that all I need is a pen and
paper to go from just a kid who liked
words to performing at the White House
it really made me appreciate just how
much a little push in the right
direction can take you if I hadn’t found
out about inside out in 2009 I wouldn’t
be me today I wouldn’t have this voice I
wouldn’t have this stage and I
definitely would not have this power to
speak my truth and today I’d like to
perform for you
a poem that speaks that very truth it is
entitled apology to my father my father
has the pride of a thousand sons the
kind of pride that leaks out of him as
he walks the kind of pride that radiates
from him as he talks the kind of pride
that’s so bright that I can’t even look
him in the eyes sometimes my father’s
pride is as deep as the ancient green
forests behind his Bangladeshi home and
as strong as the rigid jackfruit trees
that stand tall even during the monsoon
season floods that’s why I know that he
will never accept my apologies dear
father you came to this country only the
clothes on your back and the hopes and
dreams of your family in your pocket
hopes and dreams so heavy that they wage
you down every step you took putting so
much pressure on you that you melt to
the ground in prayer time and time again
I’m sorry that this country will not
accept you I’m sorry that your skin is
too
Brown too similar to dirt to be worth
anything if anything it’s only good for
their cheap labor I’m sorry your English
is too broken like jagged shards of
glass they’re too afraid of cutting
themselves on your sentence fragments so
they clench their fists full of insults
before even getting to know you I’m
sorry your faith is too strong that it’s
become a threat to the people around you
instead of realizing how beautiful your
voice sounds coming from the minaret of
a mosque they silenced your needs and
turn a deaf ear to your problems it’s
been two decades since my father came
here and he’s begun swallowing his pride
like diabetes pills doctor’s orders
the unseen unheard unless you were born
in this country you will always have
second priority while sitting in the
waiting room but my father’s sight has
gone bad from turning a blind eye to the
people who mock him so many times that
he can’t even read the fine print on his
prescription maybe that’s why he takes a
little too much overdosing on becoming a
pushover in a society that has no
problems pushing him over the edge
father I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m writing a
poem to you in the language you’ll never
fully understand I’m sorry I can’t even
properly tell you how much I love you
because they didn’t let me speak your
mother tongue in the school I was
adopted into I’m sorry I’m sorry
I’m sorry this country is such a cruel
lover to you binding you to it with
blackmail I know you’re only in this
destructive relationship for the sake of
your children and your children with one
foot in America and the other in
Bangladesh no you can’t fight a war when
you’re standing at the border so when
people fire insults your children follow
in your footsteps overdosing on silence
swallowing the pride of a thousand suns
and becoming shadows that can only carry
apologies thank you
[Applause]
you
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