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Teaching My Mother How to Give Birth
Teaching My Mother How to Give Birth | Warsan Shire
"Literary pointillism on a funked-out canvas."
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sydneyerin
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sydneyerin
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"No one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark."

#home #poetry

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GatheringBooks
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sabyym

“ To my daughter I‘ll say
when the men come, set yourself on fire “

When I first read this I thought the literal meaning that is to burn yourself- commit suicide as historical images crossed my mind. I didn‘t like the book so I didn‘t think much further. However, after reading one of the review I found out another meaning: it can also mean the flame inside of you, to be brave, look them in the eye and not be afraid and that is beautiful.

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amma-keep-reading
Pickpick

Well. My. Goodness.

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bjoanndawkins
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Solitude is Bliss! Also Warsan Shire is an awesome poet, check her out.

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Nute
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#PoetryMatters - Home: I don‘t remember how I found this poem. When you read poetry it comes to you from several different places. Whatever I was doing on the day of this discovery I was in the right place at the right time. It has the weight of an anthem & the urgency of a black & white truth. The poet wrote it while at a deportation center after visiting an abandoned Somali Embassy in Rome that had been turned into a home by some young refugees.

Nute ☝🏽 no one leaves home until home is a sweaty voice in your ear
saying —
leave,
run away from me now
i dont know what i‘ve become
but i know that anywhere
is safer than here👇🏽
5y
Nute Partial poem shown in above post. Photo Credit: Online Newspaper - Land Times Application: AdobeSpark 5y
TheSpineView This poem speaks volumes in just a small amount of verse! Excellent! 💜 5y
Nute @TheSpineView Agreed! It does speak volumes. It is an urgent beacon from the poet to the reader to look at the world and really see what has become of us and our home. Words serving as a warning...a signal. It is a reminder that once peace is disturbed in any home then the peace is disturbed on a universal level for all inhabitants of this place. She is a gifted poet! 5y
TheSpineView @Nute Very gifted poet! Thanks for sharing this gem! 💜 5y
64 likes5 comments
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GatheringBooks
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#QuotsyMay19 Day 1: The concept of #home untangled mercilessly by Warsan Shire. This collection of her poetry is one that I have read and proudly own. She is fierce and all female.

Lindy What a great quote. I love this collection too. 6y
gradcat This title is so intriguing...I love your post here. ❤️ 6y
56 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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AlizaApp
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Pickpick

A short but intensely beautiful and moving poetry collection.

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AlizaApp
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From “Conversations About Home” by Warsan Shire. This poetry collection was short but intense.

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TrishB
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#home #poetrymatters
First verse of a heart breaking poem, read full poem here:
https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/home-433/

Cathythoughts ❤️❤️❤️ 6y
hermyknee 💔 6y
ElyssaReads Powerful. Thanks for sharing. 6y
See All 6 Comments
LazyDays Wow.👏 6y
Nute That‘s deep! Following the link immediately. She is a favorite poet of mine. 6y
TrishB @Nute the poem is amazing and should be read by all! 6y
96 likes6 comments
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merelybookish
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Warsan Shire's poem #Home has been circulating widely this summer in response to the US government's treatment of refugees and asylum seekers. Full text at https://www.amnesty.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/home-by-warsan-shire.pdf
#poetrymatters @LazyDays

LazyDays 👏 6y
GondorGirl 👏👏👏 6y
Cathythoughts 👍🏻❤️ 6y
60 likes3 comments
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Bibliogeekery
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World Refugee Day and there are children in cages without their parents. What is this world?

Johanna414 I feel sick to my stomach every time I think of these poor families. I can‘t even imagine being in that position. 7y
BibliOphelia I haven‘t been able to think straight for days. Frustrated and feeling helpless. 7y
46 likes3 comments
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Graywacke
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Pickpick

“Anything she says sounds like sex.
Our mother has banned her from saying god‘s name.”

A poetry pamphlet, 30 minutes on audio. So it flittered on by in one drive to work, but it was fantastic. England, Kenya, Somali culture, Sudan, Islam, sensuality, poetry...

GatheringBooks i loved this book/pamphlet. :) 7y
Graywacke @GatheringBooks it was new to me this am. Just stumbled across it. I see she released a longer collection, expanded from this, in 2016... 7y
Nute I loved the poetry chapbook. So much in only a few pages! 7y
Graywacke @Nute 👍A great find! 7y
30 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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CoCo_Chasing_Adventures
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Pickpick

Warsan Shire‘s words are not just poetic or clever in the use of metaphors and double entendres, they are Truths. Honest truths that you only admit when the door is closed and the lights are out. The things you say to yourself because you don‘t want to share with another breathing soul or even the Gods above. In my own journey in writing, I hope that I can have the courage to put that kind of truth to paper.

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TheBookbabeblog84
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Found this in my camera roll....#WarsanShire #books #poets #poetry

22 likes1 stack add
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TheWellAccompaniedBook
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Mehso-so

An interesting book of poems. As usual, some swam over my head, but others I was able to catch.

14 likes1 stack add
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youneverarrived
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Three books from #indiepresses (flippedeye, Hesperus & City Lights) the only one I haven't read is the middle one but it's on my #tbrbingo so I'll be reading it soon! Highly recommend the tagged book 💕 #anditsaugust

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Fernoppy
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After a very early start and a busy day at work, what could be nicer than coming home to a comfy couch, a blazing fire and a stack of new books arrived in the mail? Warsan Shire is the thin brown volume between Grant & I and Because We Are Bad. #bookbinge

Joanne1 Thought these all sounded familiar then I looked at who posted and it all made sense. Is this all of them or have you got more coming. The fire has been going all day here, so cold. 7y
Fernoppy @Joanne1 this is nearly all of them. There may be another 1 or 3, ummm, maybe four? 7y
6 likes2 comments
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ramyasbookshelf
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Pickpick

A quick short collection of some deep powerful poems. It was everything I expected from Shire and more! Here is an excerpt from one of my favorites in the collection called 'The Kitchen'.

Reggie Yikes!!!!! 8y
ReadingEnvy Wow that's amazing 8y
saresmoore Oh, cooking poetr—GUT PUNCH! 8y
44 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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ramyasbookshelf
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Read a few poems online before getting Warsan Shire's 'Teaching My Mother How to Give Birth'.. this one poem really struck a chord! Can't wait to dig into her book! "You can't make homes out of human beings / Someone should have already told you that"

LauraBeth I want to read this! 8y
Suet624 Wow! 8y
ramyasbookshelf @LauraBeth this poem made me want to read her collection too! I just found out that her poem was featured in Beyoncé 's lemonade! 8y
See All 6 Comments
ramyasbookshelf @Suet624 powerful, right? 8y
Suet624 So good. 8y
TheBookbabeblog84 I recite this poem often 7y
51 likes5 stack adds6 comments
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clotty
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Well.

I guess Warsan Shire told you, America.

And others.

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dixi_e
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March 17: Beauty #LitsyPoetry365

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CiViiLy
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Pickpick

Sucker punch of words and emotions.

From "Conversations About Home (at the Deportation Centre)"

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TheBookbabeblog84
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.....#powerful ✊🏾✊🏽✊🏿✊🏻

17 likes1 stack add
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TheBookbabeblog84
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I just posted this poem (read by the author on my blog); Conversations about Home (from A Deportation center) is deeply personal and sad. And boy does it fit our current times. #lemonade #warsanshire #poetry

11 likes1 stack add
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dixi_e
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March 14: In Love and in War - Provocative & pithy. #LitsyPoetry365

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dixi_e
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March 12: Your Mother's First Kiss - You...heard her let out a deep moan / when she saw how much you looked like him." #LitsyPoetry365

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TheAnitaAlvarez
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Beautiful poetry from a young woman.

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malloryomeara
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Pickpick

aka the poet that co-wrote Lemonade with Beyoncé
I read this for women's day yesterday and was not disappointed. A small collection that packs a huge punch. Each poem is gorgeous and devastating.

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TheBookbabeblog84
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I love this....because it's true! And my parents where not together at the time of my birth. (honestly I can not imagine them ever being together...talk about a crazy household that never was) #warsanshire #poets

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MCHBurke
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But God, / doesn't she wear / the world well? #ReadersUnite

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MCHBurke
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In Love and In War // To my daughter I will say, / 'when the men come, set yourself on fire'. #ReadersUnite

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bitterbear
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Excited to read this...

9 likes1 stack add
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mlzbthc
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Bibliogeekery
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Beyonce at the Grammys 😍🍋👑❤️

CherylDeFranceschi Total goddess! 8y
Dragon Wow so beautiful! I'm missing the show as Walking Dead 💀 is on , so happy to see this post. 8y
CoffeeBooksRepeat Yeees!!! 👍🏼 8y
CouronneDhiver Amazing! 8y
81 likes4 comments
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CarolynOliver
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From "Conversations About Home" in Teaching My Mother How to Give Birth by Warsan Shire.

Bibliogeekery ❤️ 8y
KVanRead Incredible! 8y
25 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Erinelizabethkayata
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Pickpick

"No one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark." Warsan Shire puts it perfectly. My heart is aching.

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Emory
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Caught up completely today for #litsypoetry365

101 likes1 stack add
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Emory
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Decided a little late that I'd like to participate in #litsypoetry365 Playing catch up today and reading a handful of poems. Warsan Shire is always my go to when I've been away from poetry for a while.

SharonGoforth Glad you're joining us! 8y
94 likes1 comment
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Weaponxgirl
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Pickpick

I downloaded this on a whim and I think I'm finally starting to get poetry. This is brutal and left me with that bittersweet taste in my mouth that comes from beautiful language conveying imagery that is about subjects that are horrifying. Another gut punch on the poetry front for me. This is a beautiful read but after this and difficult women I'm gonna need a rest from these kind of books. Too much beauty and horror in one go #weneeddiversebooks

56 likes7 stack adds
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mcausten_sister
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My first book for my British Women Writers class this semester.

#warsanshire #poetry #westvirginiau

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MDodge
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Pickpick

Whew, what a year in books! I think in 2015 I read about 15 books, so this is pretty awesome! Here's to 100+ in 2017!

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theotherkait
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Pickpick

💓

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Bibliogeekery
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😥💔 I'm sad, scared and heartbroken this morning.

heatherspoetlife Me too. 8y
BookishMarginalia 💔💔💔me too💔💔💔 8y
Nebklvr Me too. 8y
See All 8 Comments
Bookzombie Me too. 8y
BarbaraTheBibliophage Everywhere is right. 💔💔💙💙 8y
BibliOphelia 👆💙💙💙 8y
104 likes4 stack adds8 comments
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Lauren
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GatheringBooks
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Traveling again. Seemed like poetry would be the best travel companion. Warsan Shire it is.

16 likes1 stack add