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Inclined to Speak: An Anthology of Contemporary Arab American Poetry

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Inclined to Speak: An Anthology of Contemporary Arab American Poetry collects works from a diversity of contemporary Arab American poets. The poems themselves cover a deep range of subjects, from culture and politics to art, language, loss, and the foibles of the human condition. Most poems are free-verse; each author's work is prefaced with a brief biography spanning one-third to one-half of a page. The result is an eclectic and broad-reaching compilation that challenges the reader to rethink his or her perspective concerning what it truly means to be an American. Highly recommended. "Mayfly (for Esme)": You have the right to / be delicate, transparent / yet still / flatten yourself against / the strong current // appear as if / you're caught in mid-swarm / when you are singularly // flying toward the light.

In a dark blue uniform
at Ellis Island says, with
Tiredness and authority,
"You only need two
Names in America," and suddenly
cleanly as air
You've lost
Your name.
At first, it's hardly
Even noticeable--it's easier you can move about
As an American--but looking back
The loss of your name
Cuts away some other part,
Something unspeakable
is lost.

Sam Hamod
From "Dying with the Wrong Name"
(pg 120 of this book).

Only in the 90s did the Arab-American community become slightly visible to academics and the media. After 9/11 however they become more visible than ever and are even called the "new black". Arab-Americans are not strangers to America, they came here alongside many other ethnic communities from around the world in the late 19th century and early 20th century. This book does not feature Arabic poetry produced in America, or American poetry in Arabic; it is Arab-American poetry.

This anthology brings the best of Arab-American poets together. The poets included in this anthology are accomplished established writers who identify as Arab-American. 39 great poets including Etel Adnan, Suheir Hammad, Nathalie Handal, Mohja Kahf, Jack Marshall, Naomi Shihab Nye and many others. Many of the poets are also scholars whose work has given form and established Arab American studies. This anthology is not just another compilation of contemporary poets; this anthology serves a cause. It makes visible the works of Arab American writers and introduces them as part of the contemporary American literary scene. Visbility is an issue frequently discussed in Arab American circles; this book is a great effort to counter stereotypical images of Arabs (and hence, Arab Americans). The introduction to this book is a must-read and should not be dismissed.

In short, this is a great book.

Other anthologies of Arab-American literature:
Post Gibran: Anthology of New Arab American Writing (Jusoor (Series), 11/12.)
Grape Leaves: A Century of Arab-American Poetry (Poetry Series)
Food for Our Grandmothers: Writings by Arab-American and Arab-Canadian Feminists