wam bam thank you ayeeyo

boom. so mans an award winning poet out here. can you believe it? shout out to the society of authors for bringing this dawah filled book to the list of Eric Gregory recipients.

i’m shook ngl. if you would have ever told 15 year old me, who performed her first poem in the year 10 assembly (and subsequently booed off stage by the entire year) that she would one day WIN an award, she would have said ‘sure’. i’ve always believed in my peers, always supported their wins and loses, always told them they could do whatever they want. i’ve never extended this to myself.

i was 16 when i spent weeks with my maternal grandma and discovered she was a poet, a storyteller. she would show her love in acts and poetic words; reciting rhymes for great-grandchildren, combing my hair. i knew i wanted to honour her legacy in some way and the best way was to continue writing. that summer changed my life wallahi. today marks a year since she passed away and returned to her lord. Allah yerhamo. rest in eternal peace ayeeyo. this win is for you. it is for my mother. for all the women in my life.