Suheir Hammad Imitations

walk front Kellie Leonce 2

-break (truths)- by Olivia Kahn 4
What I Make by Olivia Kahn 6
give me time by Stephanie Apollon 8
nonexistent by Stephanie Apollon 10
- break ( weeping hearts) - by Jennifer Joseph 12
 2

Kellie Leonce

walk front
after Suheir Hammad

walk front walk back walk side

women with child women with pain women with diamond
all the same you see us as one

walk back to immigration

walk back to food stamps
walk back to security

yes i will walk back because you have control

this line filled with
people like me
people not like me
more importantly not
like you your clothes so unused
the creases evident like
the struggle and pain woven
in my peoples skin look
these are bruises not tattoos look these
are wounds not piercings

yes we have struggles i understand

we are different my people
my people my people walk
walk back the way you
tell us force us create us the way we
are no way to escape not
through blood tears sweat

so we walk that way that way you tell us for

now we have no escape for now
for now you will never have escape
my people walk back now your
people walk front
when we are done walking back there will still be front
when you are done walking front there will still be back
 3

Kellie Leonce Comment [t1]: I wanted to mimic

Hammad’s style in “break (cross)” where
she repeats segments of parallel words to
walk front emphasize uniformity and specifically the
after Suheir Hammad struggles of women in a specific culture. I
refrained from inserting any types of
punctuation or capitalization in order for
walk front walk back walk side the piece to be more authentic and more
easily read. Hammad does this in her
women with child women with pain women with diamond poems, and she makes it seem as though
... [1]
all the same you see us as one Comment [t2]: I wanted to follow
Hammad’s theme of entrapment found in
“Not Your Exotic, Not Your Erotic”. I
walk back to immigration felt as though grouping my subject as
walk back to food stamps “one” provided very important to the
entire feeling of my poem because I... [2]
walk back to security
Comment [t3]: “walk back” was my
main phrase that I tried to intertwine
yes i will walk back because you have control within the entire poem. I tried mocking
Suheir Hammad’s style in “Mike Check”
this line filled with where she continuously used the phrase
people like me “mike check” to further her story. I ... [3]
people not like me Comment [t4]: Like Hammad, I tried
more importantly not to segment my sentences and words as
though someone was speaking
like you your clothes so unused subconsciously. Hammad accurately does
the creases evident like this in “Mike Check”. I wanted to focus
more on “Mike Check” in this poem... [4]
the struggle and pain woven
Comment [t5]: This phrase was solely
in my peoples skin look influenced from Hammad’s “Mike
these are bruises not tattoos look these Check” performance. When Suheir
Hammad performed this poem, her voice
are wounds not piercings grew stronger and her tone grew angrier
towards the end when she established
... her
[5]
yes we have struggles i understand Comment [t6]: Throughout most of
Hammad’s poems, she alludes to her own
we are different my people culture and people through pronouns such
my people my people walk as “we” and “us”. I thought it would be a
good idea to do the same, but not be
walk back the way you specific to who I am referring to, or ... [6]
what
tell us force us create us the way we Comment [t7]: Though Hammad does
are no way to escape not not directly address what she is longing
for in her poems, it is evident that she
through blood tears sweat longs for an escape from everything
around her, and the assumptions and
proclamations made by people who ... do [7]
so we walk that way that way you tell us for
now we have no escape for now Comment [t8]: I thought that this was
a very important aspect in this poem
for now you will never have escape because it allowed me to incorporate
my people walk back now your Hammad’s style of subconscious thinking
as well as what people have to deal with
people walk front in relation to cultural and diverse ... [8]
when we are done walking back there will still be front Comment [t9]: “for now” plays a
when you are done walking front there will still be back huge role in this poem, even though it is
at the end. In Hammad’s “Mike Check”,
Hammad changes the script at the end
and asks mike who is going to check him.
... [9]
In my poem, I wanted that same effect,
Comment [t10]: In creating these
lines, I wanted to mimic the effect Suheir
Hammad had on her audience in “Mike
Check”. I thought that the ending that
would tie the entire poem up, while also
... [10]
going back to the beginning and creating
 4

Olivia Kahn

-break (truths)-
after Suheir Hammad

i was told one was bad one

good but none could be
both

but shalom i met you here not

where they said

they said i would shalom i

am no longer here

where am i in this place and

what is true
what is here is not there i am

lost stuck inpatient furious starving

listening feeling trying stop

no more me i am
me and what you say is
not
is not true
 5

Comment [PC11]: This is an

imitation of how Hammad titled every
one of her poems in her book Breaking
Olivia Kahn Poems. I wanted to keep that same style
and imitate something that I felt strongly
was breaking just like she had in her
poems.
-break (truths)- Comment [PC12]: I used Arial font
after Suheir Hammad because I felt that Times New Roman
was too harsh to use in order to mimic
Hammad’s style, and also because she
never used that style of font for any of her
poems, at least not those published in her
book Breaking Poems.
i was told one was bad one
good but none could be Comment [PC13]: I didn’t use any
capitalization or punctuation for any of
both the words because throughout her poems
from Breaking Poems, Hammad never
but shalom i met you here not uses any punctuation.
where they said Comment [PC14]: I used a Hebrew
word that I took from the culture that I
most strongly associate with and
they said i would shalom i incorporated it within my poem to mimic
am no longer here how Hammad used many words from the
Arabic language in her poems.

where am i in this place and Comment [PC15]: I repeated some

phrases, for example the “they said”
what is true because I felt it was a strong phrase and
what is here is not there i am also because in many of Hammad’s
poems, she repeats certain words in order
to set a rhythm or enforce a strong
lost stuck inpatient furious starving meaning. In this case I just wanted to
enforce a meaning.
listening feeling trying stop Comment [PC16]: I tried to keep my
sentences short and choppy to create a
rhythmic effect, much like how many of
no more me i am Hammad’s poems sound in Breaking
me and what you say is Poems. I wanted to try to mimic her
not Brooklyn style that she uses naturally in
her poems.
is not true
Comment [PC17]: This line is many
adjectives with no supporting verbs or
pronouns because Hammad uses this style
in many of her poems as well. The effect
they have in her poems is not only a great
rhythm but also a stronger feeling ...
and[11]
Comment [PC18]: I emphasized
myself in the poem because Hammad
writes from her own experiences and
always refer s to them in her poetry, I
wanted to emphasize myself and show
what kind of an effect the breaking...of[12]
Comment [PC19]: In this line I am
establishing myself as my own
independent person, which mimics how
Hammad describes herself in many of her
poems. She defines herself among all the
turmoil that exists in her life and in...this
[13]
Comment [PC20]: I ended the poem
with a reflection of the title. Although
Hammad does not always do this in her
poetry, she is always able to write a line
that enforces her initial meaning based on
... [14]
the title. I felt that repeating the title
 6

Olivia Kahn

What I Make
after Suheir Hammad

I will not
make a face and pretend. I
will not write for
you what I am. I
know what I
am. I know what you
are. You are like
the back of my hand.
You are. You are stone
cold. I will not make
you breathe. I will
not make you something to
breathe for. I make
breath for my life. I
will not help you
take what is not
yours. I will not make
myself a follower to you.
I will make me. My life
this is my life. I will
make what I think is right.
I will not be persuaded threatened abused.
I am strong. I make
my own strength. You
can’t take that. You can
never take that.
 7

Olivia Kahn Comment [PC21]: I took the same

title from Hammad’s poem “What I Will”
except that I changed the ‘Will’ to
‘Make’. They have similar yet different
What I Make meanings and I want to make sure this
could be my own.
after Suheir Hammad
Comment [PC22]: The font is Arial,
as was in the last poem, in order to make
the words feel less rigid and tight. The
I will not Arial gives the poem a much looser and
more inviting feel to the reader and I
make a face and pretend. I wanted to be able to establish that
will not write for sensation.
you what I am. I Comment [PC23]: I started off with
know what I what I would not make because that is the
am. I know what you same style that Hammad had started off
her poem with, what she wouldn’t do.
are. You are like
Comment [PC24]: With this line, I
the back of my hand. am showing a strong definition of myself,
You are. You are stone because a noticeable thing that Hammad
cold. I will not make does in her poems is define herself as a
strong independent woman, whether it’s
you breathe. I will direct or indirect through her words.
not make you something to
Comment [PC25]: This line shows
breathe for. I make defiance against someone whom I don’t
breath for my life. I want to give in to or follow, which
will not help you mimics the basic theme of Hammad’s
original poem “What I Will”.
take what is not
Comment [PC26]: I used basic
yours. I will not make punctuation in this poem because in her
myself a follower to you. book of poems ZaatarDiva, including the
I will make me. My life poem “What I Will”, Hammad uses basic
punctuation.
this is my life. I will
make what I think is right. Comment [PC27]: I also cut the lines
in what seems like awkward places to
I will not be persuaded threatened abused. mimic the style that Hammad had used
I am strong. I make for many of her poems. It also helps to
give the poem more than one way to read
my own strength. You it because the cuts can be interpreted
can’t take that. You can differently.
never take that. Comment [PC28]: This line shows a
strong portrayal what I think is right or
wrong. It shows that I think for myself,
just like Hammad does even though she
has conflicting ideals being thrown on her
from everyone. I wanted to maintain that
solid ground of thought.
Comment [PC29]: Even though
Hammad’s “What I Will” doesn’t include
phrases like this, like her other poems
have, I wanted to include it in this poem
in order to make a balance between the
two structures of writing. It almost
mimics the way that Hammad established
a balance between her cultures by
constructing her own language in her
book Breaking Poems. Only instead of
using language like I had in the other, I
... [15]
Comment [PC30]: I finished the
poem with what I thought was a strong
ending. It mimicked the way that
Hammad’s poem “What I Will” had
flowed. It started with what she wouldn’t
... [16]
do and then ended with a strong stance of
 8

Stephanie Apollon

give me time
after Suheir Hammad

because i dont want to talk about why

i don’t want to talk to you or anyone
asking me why i have that look on my face
why i look like im going to cry
half the time
why i look like i have the world on my shoulders
i
hate clichés
i don’t want to talk about why
i keep it all inside
because no matter how many times
you ask me why
you
don’t need to know
im ready to tell you
when im ready
you better be
ready
you sit there and listen to every
syllable and pause i take
watching you
watch me
judge me
but stop
because you are the one who asked
you look at me like im crazy
wonder if its just that time
no i had it a week ago thanks
doesn’t affect my face
period
listen to ever word i say
i have a history of ranting
why
you wanted to know
 9

Stephanie Apollon
Comment [SA31]: In every poem
Suheir Hammad has, she does not use
give me time punctuation by never using capital letters
after Suheir Hammad in the beginning of sentences or phrases.
Also when it comes to the letter “I” there
is no exception, every letter used Suheir
Hammad keeps in lower case letters.
because i dont want to talk about why Comment [SA32]: Although Suheir
Hammad talks a lot about political issues
i don’t want to talk to you or anyone and feminism, she focus a lot of her
asking me why i have that look on my face poems on herself giving narrative of
events that happen to her or could have
why i look like im going to cry happened to her, always making the poem
half the time sound relatable. Here I do the same thing
as I talk about an aspect of life that
why i look like i have the world on my shoulders happens but other people can relate to if
i they put themselves that position. Also if
this was not about me directly, I make the
hate clichés poem sound like I or anyone else could
i don’t want to talk about why be the “I” of the poem as Hammad does.
i keep it all inside Comment [SA33]: Suheir Hammad
because no matter how many times writes her poems so that depending on
how you interpret the poem, it has a
you ask me why different mean or it can sound different.
you So for this part of the poem, depending
on how you read the section, it has a
don’t need to know different sound and meaning. I could be
im ready to tell you saying “im ready to tell you when im
ready” or “im ready to tell you” at that
when im ready moment. And also you could see the
you better be second part as saying “you better be
ready” or “you better be” are you
ready “ready.” Because there is no punctuation,
you sit there and listen to every it all depends on the person reading the
poem and how they interpret the lines just
syllable and pause i take as what is done with Hammad’s poems.
watching you Comment [SA34]: Suheir Hammad
watch me likes to play with her words in her poems
by creating a rhythm to what is being
judge me said. Depending on how you read the
but stop poem, you can hear a beat to it. There is
no punctuation as a common used so
because you are the one who asked readers should know to just keep going
you look at me like im crazy and not take a pause which allows the
poem to sound almost like a rap as
wonder if its just that time Hammad does.
no i had it a week ago thanks Comment [SA35]: There are many
doesn’t affect my face times when Suheir Hammad refers to
gender, primarily women, in her poems.
period Hammad can sometimes come straight
listen to ever word i say out with what she wants to say about
women and even with subtle hints, it is
i have a history of ranting clear she is talking about women. With
why this part of my poem, I refer to a feminine
aspect of women that people like to use
you wanted to know as an excuse for the way women act and I
say that contrary to what is believed,
women have control over themselves and
are not controlled by their monthly
cycles. Our moods and emotions can not
always be blamed on what goes on with
us monthly. But also I say this in a subtle
way and I do not straight out say the word
I mean. Although I do mention the word
“period” at the end, I give a hint of what I
wanted to say.
 10

Stephanie Apollon

nonexistent
after Suheir Hammad

december we did not exist

we were the poor floating in the ocean
open a history book
but no one knows if we freed ourselves
no one knows about l’union fait la force
force wont save us from january

we did not exist

just another country in poverty
but help doesn’t come till they decide to pay attention
pay attention when the ground shifts
and there we are still floating
still existing
now you want to notice
people who never heard of the country
pay check their attention
thanks for the help

but years ago we did exist

we’re not ungrateful
but their friends are under that house over there
phone numbers wont save them
we’ve existed
but did anyone hear about chile
I heard they existed too
where is there telethon
always quick to respond
but wait a second
hawii is calling
duty calls when it comes to you’re own country
we are not the world
we are people in this world and they say no fighting
we’re not fighting
we’re trying to breath
we’re trying to live
and by the way
we’re not all poor
but its ok they got the message
 11

Stephanie Apollon

nonexistent
after Suheir Hammad
Comment [SA36]: In Suheir
Hammad’s poems, when she reference
her culture, she tends to generalize by
saying “we.” Because she has two
december we did not exist cultures she is part of, it is often up to the
we were the poor floating in the ocean reader to interpret who she is identifying
herself with. In this poem, I never say “I”
open a history book but “we” in order to put myself in a
but no one knows if we freed ourselves group. I could be identifying with either
my family’s country or the one that is my
no one knows about l’union fait la force own. But in this particular part of the
force wont save us from january poem, it is clear that I do not mean
America.
Comment [SA37]: There are many
we did not exist times when Suheir Hammad incorporates
just another country in poverty her own language into her poems but then
makes the word from the different
but help doesn’t come till they decide to pay attention language sound like an English word.
pay attention when the ground shifts Here, I put in a French phrase but also
used on of the French words and used it
and there we are still floating as English. But just like with Hammad’s
still existing poems, when you look the word up in the
dictionary, there is a different meaning to
now you want to notice it which can in turn change the meaning
people who never heard of the country of the sentence just like what is done with
Hammad’s poems.
pay check their attention
thanks for the help Comment [SA38]: There are times
when Suheir Hammad plays with words
to make them have a double meaning.
but years ago we did exist Instead of using a different language,
there is a word play with the English for
we’re not ungrateful this section to have a double meaning in
but their friends are under that house over there order to say that people “check” what
they’re paying attention, they “pay” more
phone numbers wont save them attention, and that “people who never
we’ve existed heard of the country” give parts of their
“pay” check to the country, and with that
but did anyone hear about chile it makes the reader of the poem think.
I heard they existed too Comment [SA39]: In one of Suheir
where is there telethon Hammad’s poems, she uses a phrase that
resembles song lyrics but if readers do
always quick to respond not recognize the song lyrics or just read
but wait a second hawii is calling the words as is, there is a different
meaning to the section of the poem. Here
duty calls when it comes to you’re own country I used, as Hammad did, a song that
we are not the world happens to also be from Michael Jackson
except I changed one word. If you think
we are people in this world and they say no fighting of the meaning of the song, then there are
we’re not fighting different interpretation you can have on
what I am trying to say. But if you look at
we’re trying to breath the words as is, there is a different
we’re trying to live interpretation. I also used a phrase that
Wyclef Jean used in a song.
and by the way
Comment [SA40]: In Suheir
we’re not all poor Hammad’s poems she can be repetitive
but its ok they got the message with the first word in the beginning of
each line which also gives the lines a
rhythm. Here I mimic this style by using
the same word in each line so that when
the lines are read there is a beat to reading
the poem and also gives the lines a
parallel structure.
 12

Jennifer Joseph

- break ( weeping hearts) -

after Suheir Hammad

yamma
my beloved
crying wa suffering

ya rayah with hawa

ya rayah jabal

bas enough harb and blood

yamma our hearts bleed

gaze up
no light stars moon
gaze up
knives spears arrows guns missiles

shabab weeping blood

yamma we pray
forget memories of blood and disappearing hearts
 13

Jennifer Joseph

- break ( weeping hearts) -

after Suheir Hammad

yamma Comment [G41]: Since she didn’t

capitalize any of her words I decided to
my beloved keep all of mine lower case including the
crying wa suffering title.

ya rayah with hawa

ya rayah jabal Comment [G42]: I also used this for
repetitiveness because she uses that as a
tool.
bas enough harb and blood Comment [G43]: I noticed that she
yamma our hearts bleed added words and phrases from her
language, so I used the page given with
the translation to also do the same.
gaze up
Comment [G44]: I noticed that her
no light stars moon poems just flowed with no punctuation
gaze up marks, when I wrote it I didn’t place any
punctuation marks.
knives spears arrows guns missiles
Comment [G45]: I noticed how she
broke up some lines randomly so I did the
shabab weeping blood same
yamma we pray Comment [G46]: I saw that these
things kept showing up in her poems.
forget memories of blood and disappearing hearts
Comment [G47]: Even though she
spoke of pain at time she used really
harsh words or object and I thought it was
to describe a connection to mankind so I
did the same by using her own words.
Comment [G48]: I thought her choice
of words showed background info.
Comment [G49]: In her poems that I
focused on I noticed that some of her
main ideas were based on pains and
struggles which I focused on in my
poems.
 Page 3: [1] Comment [t1] tuyencom 3/26/2010 10:31:00 AM
I wanted to mimic Hammad’s style in “break (cross)” where she repeats segments of parallel words to emphasize uniformity and
specifically the struggles of women in a specific culture. I refrained from inserting any types of punctuation or capitalization in order
for the piece to be more authentic and more easily read. Hammad does this in her poems, and she makes it seem as though she is
speaking through a stream of consciousness.
Page 3: [2] Comment [t2] tuyencom 3/26/2010 10:30:00 AM
I wanted to follow Hammad’s theme of entrapment found in “Not Your Exotic, Not Your Erotic”. I felt as
though grouping my subject as “one” provided very important to the entire feeling of my poem because I
wanted to mimic Hammad’s feeling of categorization caused upon by society.
Page 3: [3] Comment [t3] tuyencom 3/26/2010 10:30:00 AM
“walk back” was my main phrase that I tried to intertwine within the entire poem. I tried mocking Suheir
Hammad’s style in “Mike Check” where she continuously used the phrase “mike check” to further her
story. I wanted to have the same effect as Hammad, and create an alternative meaning for this repeated
phrase, which I experimented with in the very end. I also incorporated contradiction within the “walk back”
and “walk front” because I wanted to establish a difference between “my people” (another factor Hammad
incorporates) and the people I am talking about.
Page 3: [4] Comment [t4] tuyencom 3/26/2010 10:30:00 AM
Like Hammad, I tried to segment my sentences and words as though someone was speaking
subconsciously. Hammad accurately does this in “Mike Check”. I wanted to focus more on “Mike Check”
in this poem because Hammad becomes very fierce, while sounding as if she is having a conversation with
herself. I structured the flow of my lines to be as if someone was thinking out loud, creating a more
climatic effect towards the ending when parallelism is used as the final points within the poem.
Page 3: [5] Comment [t5] tuyencom 3/26/2010 10:30:00 AM
This phrase was solely influenced from Hammad’s “Mike Check” performance. When Suheir Hammad
performed this poem, her voice grew stronger and her tone grew angrier towards the end when she
established her problem. I tried to do the same thing in this poem, and when I wrote it, I pictured this quote
being the most fierce and strong part, where the audience can feel the pain and emotion of Suheir Hammad.
I purposefully added the “yes we have struggles” in the stanza after because after Hammad creates a huge
scene, she comes back down and builds herself up again, which I also tried doing, which might work better
if this poem were actually performed.
Page 3: [6] Comment [t6] tuyencom 3/26/2010 10:30:00 AM
Throughout most of Hammad’s poems, she alludes to her own culture and people through pronouns such as
“we” and “us”. I thought it would be a good idea to do the same, but not be specific to who I am referring
to, or what ethnic group I am targeting. I feel as though if the audience does not know who is considered
“we”, then it would be more relatable to everyone in the audience, rather than just a small population. I
think it is important to see this poem in the eyes of the victim and it is more meaningful in the eyes of the
victim rather than the culpurate.
Page 3: [7] Comment [t7] tuyencom 3/26/2010 10:30:00 AM
Though Hammad does not directly address what she is longing for in her poems, it is evident that she longs
for an escape from everything around her, and the assumptions and proclamations made by people who do
not even know her. Following Hammad’s theme, I wanted to incorporate a failure to escape. Hammad
compares women to birds imprisoned in a cage. I wanted to create that allusion but on a more direct and
painful manner through the incorporation of "blood" and "tears".
Page 3: [8] Comment [t8] tuyencom 3/26/2010 10:30:00 AM
I thought that this was a very important aspect in this poem because it allowed me to incorporate
Hammad’s style of subconscious thinking as well as what people have to deal with in relation to cultural
and diverse differences. I also thought it was interesting how I came back from the beginning and
continued with the repeated phrase "walk". What I wanted to do was make "walk" something that has to be
force dupon people to do. Usually when people think of walking, they think it is free will. Like "mike
check", I wanted to create an alternative meaning, in this case, a forced movement.
Page 3: [9] Comment [t9] tuyencom 3/26/2010 10:30:00 AM
“for now” plays a huge role in this poem, even though it is at the end. In Hammad’s “Mike Check”,
Hammad changes the script at the end and asks mike who is going to check him. In my poem, I wanted that
same effect, and the effect of a plot twisting ending. Instead of being so direct and upfront, I tried to make
it more subtle because it wasn't towards the very end yet. I purposefully repeated "for now" to show the
reader that the struggle is only temporary, which is what Hammad did in "Mike Check". "For now" means
that a change needs to be made, and that change will definately be made in the future, because it is already
pointed out.
Page 3: [10] Comment [t10] tuyencom 3/26/2010 10:30:00 AM
In creating these lines, I wanted to mimic the effect Suheir Hammad had on her audience in “Mike Check”.
I thought that the ending that would tie the entire poem up, while also going back to the beginning and
creating a sort of paradox between what was said, and what is really happening.
Page 5: [11] Comment [PC17] Preferred Customer 3/26/2010 10:34:00 AM
This line is many adjectives with no supporting verbs or pronouns because Hammad uses this style in many
of her poems as well. The effect they have in her poems is not only a great rhythm but also a stronger
feeling and meaning. I wanted both to occur in my poem.
Page 5: [12] Comment [PC18] Preferred Customer 3/26/2010 10:34:00 AM
I emphasized myself in the poem because Hammad writes from her own experiences and always refer s to
them in her poetry, I wanted to emphasize myself and show what kind of an effect the breaking of truths
had on me, exactly like how Hammad does in her poems.
Page 5: [13] Comment [PC19] Preferred Customer 3/26/2010 10:34:00 AM
In this line I am establishing myself as my own independent person, which mimics how Hammad describes
herself in many of her poems. She defines herself among all the turmoil that exists in her life and in this
poem, I am doing the same.
Page 5: [14] Comment [PC20] Preferred Customer 3/26/2010 10:34:00 AM
I ended the poem with a reflection of the title. Although Hammad does not always do this in her poetry, she
is always able to write a line that enforces her initial meaning based on the title. I felt that repeating the title
would help create a better rythm in my poem as well as semi-copy a style that Hammad uses herself.
Page 7: [15] Comment [PC29] Preferred Customer 3/26/2010 10:36:00 AM
Even though Hammad’s “What I Will” doesn’t include phrases like this, like her other poems have, I
wanted to include it in this poem in order to make a balance between the two structures of writing. It almost
mimics the way that Hammad established a balance between her cultures by constructing her own language
in her book Breaking Poems. Only instead of using language like I had in the other, I used technique.
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I finished the poem with what I thought was a strong ending. It mimicked the way that Hammad’s poem
“What I Will” had flowed. It started with what she wouldn’t do and then ended with a strong stance of what
she will do for herself.