She arrived in the mail today and I stared at her stunned and in silence for a while. She is so tiny, and pink! Which I’m certain is what Jilly said about her newborn some months back.

With it in hand, I immediately turned to the last page – Acknowledgments – and realized that I forgot to thank Allah for my words. I was disappointed with myself for such an egregious error committed by this heart. I also wish I had added the simple line: To everyone in Occupied Palestine. We see you. We are with you. We love you.

inshAllah I can remedy both of these errors in the next copy to come. inshAllah. inshAllah. inshAllah.

The publishers are a tiny family and I am so overjoyed they chose my work, still and always grateful. They were, in fact, the first to publish a poem also in print. It seems fitting, then, that we became reunited for rose-water syrup.

I don’t know anything about printing or publishing. What I have learned is that these smaller baby publishers don’t have the means or reach to announce and publicize their products. This is left to the author; so, me. I am pretty awful at this kind of thing because I don’t feel like it is a natural resting place for me.

I would rather that the collection speak for itself.

So. With that, today’s piece is asking those of you who have ordered her / who plan on ordering her to please consider the following, should you believe that rose-water syrup is something which ought to be shared, that it is worth reading, that she might resonate with others: Tell people. Point her out to them, if they are readers and if they like pages between their hands. The only way that rose-water syrup will be read, is if it is by word of mouth.

That’s it.

Me, I plan on sending her to a select few individuals whom I admire – academic, activist, political, and even celebrity. I will also reach out to independent stores here in Ottawa to see if they will carry her; I popped into one last week and they said yes, so inshAllah it will be so easy. (All of this and) The rest is in God’s hands. If there is goodness for me here, then may He light this path; if not, so be it. I have my little rose-water syrup in hand, just a little over two years after I began writing poetry. This alone, it is the greatest blessing.

You may purchase rose-water syrup here, if you are reading on the site. If you’re following on instagram, then you may find the link for purchase in my bio. Thank you. Love you. Owe you.

Today, I am grateful for:
1. My words. All of them – the good, the bad, and the ugly – which led me to right here, and which have already forged tomorrow’s path(s).
2. The heart-pain which first drove me to write poetry, because I would not allow pain to be the only thing left at my feet.
3. Slowly learning about printing and publishing. What an under-appreciated universe, you are.

Ottawa | May 14, 2019

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