Fauzia Rafique

Alone

Discover me / like Columbus / discovered America // Disregard and overlook / my brand new citizenship card, / esl abilities, my bridging / capabilities. There still are / some Indians (and many / Pakistanis) in me– spoiling / for education, assimilation, / in short, civilization. // Discover me / like Columbus / discovered America // Ignore or obliterate / my multicultured clothes, / urban unriches, my / discomforting art. There still is / a writer (even when / brown) in me– needing / cliches, creative writing courses, / in short, author-ization. (…)