Gratitude List

Thank you for insulting me.

You helped me see how much I was worth.

Thank you for overlooking my humanity.

In that moment I gained power.

To be forgotten by the wider world

and the righteous religious

and the weaponized soldiers 

is not the worst thing.

It gives you time to discover yourself.

*

Lemons.

Mint.

Almonds roasted and salted.

Almonds raw.

Pistachios roasted and salted.

Cheese.

From The Tiny Journalist (BOA Editions, Ltd., 2019) by Naomi Shihab Nye. Copyright © 2019 by Naomi Shihab Nye. Used with the permission of the poet.