JANNAH YUSUF AL-JAMIL
cw – death, racism, homophobia, transphobia, and injury
VIRGINIA IS FOR LOVERS (AND SO IS HELL!)
NOAH’S ARK ISN’T COMING FOR YOU, LOVER. GOD BLESS THIS CHOKING AMERICA!
PREPARE TO MEET THE RISING OCEAN. PREPARE TO DROWN.
HAND TO THE SKY. (A SALUTE TO SOMETHING, TO THE FLAG)
LOVER SPLITS THE MOON AND STILL TAKES THE SUN. COLONY FOR COLONY.
THE EARTH SWALLOWS YOU AND YOUR WEALTH WHOLE. YOUR COUNTRY IS MADE OF EVILS. OF LOVERS.
THE EARTH WEEPS ACID AS YOU CAST MIRACLES. AS YOU FALTER. AS YOU LOVE.
WHERE IS YOUR GOD AS YOU SIN?
WHERE IS YOUR GOD AS YOU PRAY?
KISS A GIRL. LOVE IN THE NAME OF GOD. LOVER VERSUS VIRGINIA.GET YOUR HEART BROKEN. (A COUNTRY CRUSHES A WINDPIPE)
CUT YOUR THUMB WHILE SLICING FRUIT, LOVER. POMEGRANATE SEEDS IN TEETH. (FINGER BLEEDING LIKE TRANS KIDS DYING)
ZULAYKHA, HABIBI, I’M SORRY. LOVE IS SIN. (ISN’T IT ALL?)
DREAM-TELLER, IT’S PRISON FOR YOU! (MEN WILL MAKE MONEY OFF YOUR CRIME)
GABRIEL CUTS OUT YOUR HEART TO CLEAN THE WRONGDOING. (YOU LIVE IN SIN)
MOSES TELLS YOU: LOVER, IT’S A LOST CAUSE. (YOU LIVE ON STOLEN LAND)
WHERE IS YOUR GOD AS YOU SIN?
WHERE IS YOUR GOD AS YOU PRAY?
LOVER, HEAVEN IS OPENING ITS EIGHT GATES. THE DOOR EXISTS TO ESCAPE.
ADAM HOLDS THE APPLE. ENOCH HOLDS THE PEN. NOAH HOLDS THE RUDDER.
OH LOVER. EIGHT GATES AND YOU’VE BEEN REJECTED.
YOUR SCALE TIPS SIDEWAYS. WHY DID YOU LOVE, LOVER?
HELL WILL BE A FITTING PLACE FOR YOU ANYWAY. (THERE ARE UNMARKED
GRAVES A MILE FROM YOUR HOME. THERE USED TO BE LYNCHINGS IN THE TOWN OVER.)
WHERE IS YOUR GOD TO PUNISH YOU FOR YOUR SINS, AMERICA?
(THE OCEAN IS RISING. THE EARTH IS BREAKING. HE’S RIGHT HERE.)
Jannah Yusuf Al-Jamil is a Muslim writer, a hater, and a co-founder of antinarrative zine. Find their work in Pollux Journal, Overheard, VIBE, Yuzu Press, and at jannahyusufaljamil.carrd.co.