I'm an English & Creative Writing major, which means I deal with a fair share of all kinds of poetry on a daily basis. But that's not what makes my opinion at all credible. It's that poetry is my passion. It is and always has been. Stringing simple words to form an entity so large that it has the power to transcend so many boundaries and still cannot be adequately defined or explained, just shared and experienced by people whose lives have seemingly nothing in common...until they happen to stumble upon words typed on a page that embrace them, resonate with them, make them feel validated, less alone. When a poet accomplishes this, time and time again, no less- as nayyirah waheed does, the words become part of you. nayyirah's words feel as though they have always been a part of you. I can't count the number of times I read her poems and recognized myself in them- recognized thoughts and feelings for which I could never find the proper words, could never verbalize myself. And for that, I am so thankful.
I discovered waheed's work by chance on Instagram, which was a first for me. But there's something pretty amazing about that- discovering such talent not because it's on your syllabus, but because such platforms exist allowing writers and artists to put their work out there and release it into the world---and alternatively, allowing readers to come by a writer like nayyirah waheed whose poetry is so powerful, it inspires you to write your first Amazon review (seriously. this is my first one).
Pick this book up. Just pick it up and you'll understand.
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Product details
- ASIN : B07TMKPD67
- File size : 19866 KB
- Publication date : June 26, 2019
- Word Wise : Not Enabled
- Print length : 210 pages
- Text-to-Speech : Not enabled
- Language: : English
- Enhanced typesetting : Not Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Lending : Enabled
- Best Sellers Rank: #168,705 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- Customer Reviews:
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4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
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5.0 out of 5 stars
If only I had the funds, I'd buy everyone a copy of this book. Because everyone should read it.
Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2016Verified Purchase
114 people found this helpful
Helpful
Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2017
Verified Purchase
‘sometimes i want to say it.
and there is nothing in english. that will say it.’
The poem above epitomizes Nayyirah Waheed’s transcendence of language in her follow-up to her collection Salt. Nejma feels ethereal from cover to cover, a stark difference between the minimalistic style of her first collection. Nayyirah touches heavily on the constructs of blackness and whiteness, using the sharp contrast of the negative space and the black ink on the pages to do so. Nayyirah remains true to herself in this second collection, discussing race, the feminine and the masculine, and ultimately love in all forms.
The work in Nejma is an even combination of sweet one-liners and lengthier poems. The longer poems are thick with truth and criticism of the lack of visibility of writers of color in literature and poetry and the grief of losing an identity you never knew to the western world.
As she writes in “The Hot Wash”,
to take my name out of my name
out of where my native poetry lives. in me.
and
replace it with keats, browning, dickson, wolf, joyce. wild. plathe. [...]
The work in Nejma serves to embolden writers of color. It breathes courage a necessary voice in literature. It is a calling for us to recall our magic and tell the stories that need to be told. She speaks to lovers of all literature in reminding the world of the importance of artists that look like us. Salt was for the lovers, Nejma is for the the creators.
and there is nothing in english. that will say it.’
The poem above epitomizes Nayyirah Waheed’s transcendence of language in her follow-up to her collection Salt. Nejma feels ethereal from cover to cover, a stark difference between the minimalistic style of her first collection. Nayyirah touches heavily on the constructs of blackness and whiteness, using the sharp contrast of the negative space and the black ink on the pages to do so. Nayyirah remains true to herself in this second collection, discussing race, the feminine and the masculine, and ultimately love in all forms.
The work in Nejma is an even combination of sweet one-liners and lengthier poems. The longer poems are thick with truth and criticism of the lack of visibility of writers of color in literature and poetry and the grief of losing an identity you never knew to the western world.
As she writes in “The Hot Wash”,
to take my name out of my name
out of where my native poetry lives. in me.
and
replace it with keats, browning, dickson, wolf, joyce. wild. plathe. [...]
The work in Nejma serves to embolden writers of color. It breathes courage a necessary voice in literature. It is a calling for us to recall our magic and tell the stories that need to be told. She speaks to lovers of all literature in reminding the world of the importance of artists that look like us. Salt was for the lovers, Nejma is for the the creators.
Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2016
Verified Purchase
I needed this book in this moment. Thank you. So many poignant thoughts about what it means to be a black woman with multiple identities and how they intersect and how they are distinct. The poetry about familial and intergenerational trauma really hit home. This is a book for our (black women) healing.
Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2016
Verified Purchase
Beautiful & challenging work, in a beautiful book. I read in another review (perhaps for this, or her other book Salt) that these poems demand space, and their setting in the wide open pages feels so appropriate. I 100% agree. Even though I wanted to devour the book, I felt it required of me a certain space, a certain amount of thoughtful pause, as I read through the book. Each page is worthy itself of a morning's worth of meditation. This is maybe rude to say on this site, I just wish I was able to get this through some local stores, but it seems hard to locate except on Amazon. Nayyirah Waheed deserves to be in all the stores!! Hopefully she'll get there. Also...follow her on IG under her nayyirah_waheed to see daily snapshots of her work, often accompanied by beautiful photos sent to her by readers.
Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2014
Verified Purchase
Empowering. Healing. Comforting. Inspiring. Moving. These are all words I would use to describe “nejma”. Nayyirah Waheed masterfully crafted poems so full of life that they give life to her readers. These poems speak to our experiences as people of color, as women of color. They express, in simple yet profound ways, the complexity and nuances of our experiences. She puts into words what I feel in my heart but could never express so simply and so eloquently. As I read, and reread, and sit with “nejma”, I can feel the care and love she put into each page, each word, each letter. There are poems that bring healing, poems that raise consciousness, poems that empower, poems that comfort, poems that inspire, poems that release, and poems that do all of those things. Each time I reread a poem, it brings up something new- a new thought, a new feeling, a new inspiration- and every time I walk away with a full heart.
Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2016
Verified Purchase
I've read nejma twice since buying the book and am sure I will read it many more times.
I garnered more "likes" than ever just by posting a few lines from it on social media (if that counts for anything). Buy her, read her, share her I say. "Liking" is so in adequate to describe or demonstrate the importance of this work. She makes me wanna burn my notebooks! No, really these words said in these ways remind me how critical; how magical words are and can be. And I am inspired, humbled, and grateful to have them in my arsenal too.
I garnered more "likes" than ever just by posting a few lines from it on social media (if that counts for anything). Buy her, read her, share her I say. "Liking" is so in adequate to describe or demonstrate the importance of this work. She makes me wanna burn my notebooks! No, really these words said in these ways remind me how critical; how magical words are and can be. And I am inspired, humbled, and grateful to have them in my arsenal too.
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Cristelle
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful collection
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 8, 2017Verified Purchase
Nayirrah Waheed has a gift for crafting poetry that is both ethereal and raw. Her work powerfully and beautifully centres on the themes of womanhood, race and identity. Loved this collection and would also highly recommend Salt.
5 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars
Something to learn from. You won't be disappointed
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 29, 2016Verified Purchase
I read the book in just one sitting. I have the book 'salt' by the same author and I must say in comparison to the book nejma, 'salt' comes first place for me. Although saying this I feel I should have read one poem or two a day, as I feel there is much meaning in just one poem alone, which was hard for me to grasp the first time around. I definitely feel so much could be learnt from each poem. This book of poems is to be read over and over again, readers will not get tired of the book. I'm so happy I made this purchase and I'm looking forward to more books from this author.
3 people found this helpful
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Cutekelechi
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nejma brings poetry to life
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 26, 2016Verified Purchase
Salt was my first introduction to Nayyirah Waheed. Then I read Nejma and I became enamoured all over again. I feel that it's futile to compare the books because they each have a distinct personality in how they have been created. The poems in Nejma speak to me in ways I hadn't experienced when learning about poetry in High School. The fact that Nayyirah discusses identity mixed with imagery of stars, I feel like this book almost cleanses you. Writing like this is rare. Beautiful.
4 people found this helpful
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A Walking Reader
4.0 out of 5 stars
A response
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 22, 2018Verified Purchase
I did not know
That
The colour of my
Skin
Mattered
As a poet
I thought it was
The words
That mattered.
You SHOUT
About
COLOUR
I hear
No colour
I only see
YOU
That
The colour of my
Skin
Mattered
As a poet
I thought it was
The words
That mattered.
You SHOUT
About
COLOUR
I hear
No colour
I only see
YOU
![](https://web.archive.org./web/20201207233749/https://images-eu.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/amazon-avatars-global/default._CR0,0,1024,1024_SX48_.png)
Tapiwa Mugabe
5.0 out of 5 stars
A galaxy of beautiful poems
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 30, 2014Verified Purchase
Nayyirah Waheed's second book!! Yes please! nejma is a beauty. It's poetry takes you through a journey. I highly recommended this book for its honesty and richness. There are beautiful poems that stay with you and poems that teach you and poems that awaken you. Each read of this book highlights something new and wonderful that inspires you. "Let nejma have you".
2 people found this helpful
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