Palestinian Identity

I was born overseas
A refugee
With little knowledge of myself or my ancestry
Growing up in American society
I conformed to the mentality
I watched MTV
Envied actors and people who drove Mercedes
I didn’t listen to Public Enemy or read Edward Said
Comprehend the need for autonomy
I was a dark kid, trying to be a white kid, acting like a black kid
In my middle-class economy
But my mom didn’t speak this language perfectly
And I was reminded with certainty
My name wasn’t Ali or Punjabi MC
Not Khalid, Rashid, or anyone from Aladdin’s family
I was just me

Excerpt from the book, Poets for Palestine

Source: Poets for Palestine