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Ink Knows No Borders: Poems of the Immigrant and Refugee Experience
A poetry collection for young adults brings together some of the most compelling and vibrant voices today reflecting the experiences of teen immigrants and refugees.
With authenticity, integrity, and insight, this collection of poems from some of today's most compelling voices addresses the many issues confronting first- and second- generation young adult immigrants and refugees, such as cultural and language differences, homesickness, social exclusion, human rights, racism, stereotyping, and questions of identity. Poems by Elizabeth Acevedo, Erika L. Sanchez, Bao Phi, Eduardo C. Corral, Chen Chen, Sholeh Wolpe, and a growing list of others encourage readers to honor their roots as well as explore new paths, and offers empathy and hope for those who are struggling to overcome discrimination. Many of the struggles immigrant and refugee teens face head-on are also experienced by young people everywhere as they contend with isolation, self-doubt, confusion, and emotional dislocation.
Ink Knows No Borders is the first book of its kind and features approximately 60 poems and an introduction, a bibliography of recommended titles, a resource list of poetry organizations, and brief biographies of the poets. It's a hopeful and beautiful and meaningful book for any reader.
With authenticity, integrity, and insight, this collection of poems from some of today's most compelling voices addresses the many issues confronting first- and second- generation young adult immigrants and refugees, such as cultural and language differences, homesickness, social exclusion, human rights, racism, stereotyping, and questions of identity. Poems by Elizabeth Acevedo, Erika L. Sanchez, Bao Phi, Eduardo C. Corral, Chen Chen, Sholeh Wolpe, and a growing list of others encourage readers to honor their roots as well as explore new paths, and offers empathy and hope for those who are struggling to overcome discrimination. Many of the struggles immigrant and refugee teens face head-on are also experienced by young people everywhere as they contend with isolation, self-doubt, confusion, and emotional dislocation.
Ink Knows No Borders is the first book of its kind and features approximately 60 poems and an introduction, a bibliography of recommended titles, a resource list of poetry organizations, and brief biographies of the poets. It's a hopeful and beautiful and meaningful book for any reader.
208 pages, Paperback
First published March 12, 2019
45 people are currently reading
1389 people want to read
About the author
Patrice Vecchione
6 books3 followersPatrice Vecchione is a poet, nonfiction writer and teacher, and has edited several highly acclaimed anthologies for young adults including Truth & Lies, which was named one of the best children's books by School Library Journal, Revenge & Forgiveness, and Faith & Doubt, named a best book of the year for young adults by the American Library Association. She's the author of Writing and the Spiritual Life and Step into Nature: Nurturing Imagination and Spirit in Everyday Life, as well as two collections of poetry.
For many years, Vecchione has taught poetry and creative writing to young people (often working with migrant children) through her program, "The Heart of the Word: Poetry and the Imagination." She is also a columnist for her local daily paper, The Monterey Herald, and has published essays on children and poetry for several outlets including the California Library Association Journal.
For many years, Vecchione has taught poetry and creative writing to young people (often working with migrant children) through her program, "The Heart of the Word: Poetry and the Imagination." She is also a columnist for her local daily paper, The Monterey Herald, and has published essays on children and poetry for several outlets including the California Library Association Journal.
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April 22, 2021
‘So we master the grief of geography,
Severed from a life that persists as shadows of shadows.’
- Paul Tran
The publication of Ink Knows No Borders: Poems of the Immigrant and Refugee Experience is cause for celebration, particularly as it is an extraordinary collection of vibrant voices speaking out to remind us that a country is a collection of cultures that are all valuable and beautiful. Not only is this an important anthology for its subject matter but also a fantastic way to introduce--or reacquaint--yourself with some of the most notable voices in modern poetry. Collected here are Ada Limon, Kaveh Akbar, Safia Elhillo, Ocean Vuong, Eavan Boland, Elizabeth Acevedo, Chen Chen, Li-Young Lee, Fatimah Asghar, Erika L. Sánchez, Solmaz Sharif, Hieu Minh Nguyen among many, many other amazing works that show us that being American comes in many colors, cultures, languages, and people. ‘Being an advocate for change, that’s something we should be in every walk of life’, writes UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador and 2015 Individual World Poetry Slam champion Emtithal Mahmoud in her Afterword, ‘you just have to reach out and recognize people. Recognize our fellow humans around the world who are fighting for the right to exist.’ This collection is an important way to give space to--and recognize--these necessary voices, particularly as hostility towards refugees and immigrants is at a fever pitch of dehumanizing propaganda for the purpose of political gain and we need to embrace and love everyone regardless of citizenship status.
‘I wish maps would be without
borders & that we belonged
to no one & to everyone
at once, what a world that
would be’
-Yesenia Montilla
To read this collection is a very emotional experience, but ‘comfort is what kills us in the long run’ say Terisa Siagatonu. The poems contained within chronicle the journeys of immigrants and those who experienced what Elizabeth Acevedo calls the ‘unholy baptism’ of refugees. These are tales of pain, loss, oppression, but also love and growth. There are powerful stories about families struggling to survive or even just be valued in the place they call home, about people struggling with identity or to love themselves in a world that fears difference and assumes too much. America, am I not your refugee asks Fatimah Asghar, reminding America of its actions and complicity and in creating refugees as hypocritical to the negative attitudes against refugees. ‘I wish you would ask of the memories / I had before my identity became political’, pleads Yosimar Reyes. Here we take a deep look at the hatred faced by those who come here, those who just want to survive and live their lives, and a probing look at the morality like borders, which Alberto Ríos calls ‘an equation in search of an equals sign’ and states that ‘The Border is mighty, but even the parting of the seas created a path / Not a barrier.’ What comes across strongest is the will to live and be beautiful even in a world that can be ugly. This is a perfect collection for those looking for that reminder when their own identity is treated as something other than beautiful, such as in this passage from ‘Someday I’ll Love Ocean Vuong’ by Ocean Vuong:
‘I must write the same poem over and over
for an empty page is the white flag of their surrender’
- Ilya Kaminsky, from ‘Author’s Prayer’
Normalizing diversity in publishing and making a space for voices beyond the standard, white hegemony is urgently needed to let marginalized voices be heard. While diversity in publishing is improving, it is still far dominated by white, cisgendered voices. This is particularly true in children’s fiction where, despite the growing inclusion of diversity in characters, only 7% of authors published in 2018 were non-white (up 1% from 2016). Anthologies like this that help make a space for authentic perspectives on diversity are necessary and while the marketing of this anthology as “poetry for young adults” does unfortunately seem to downplay these voices as somehow less-than-Real-poetry--a problem that persists when many black poets are often labeled as ‘slam poets’ as if to categorize them as a lesser tier-- the intent to help normalize diversity in young adult reading as well as promote poetry in this same demographic is quite welcomed. Especially to have books like this be able to reach the hands of young students who have been marginalized and can find comfort in strong voices of those like themselves. The voices in this collection are here to remind us that centering whiteness as the standard leads to oppression, hurt and often violence. ‘It’s not my mom’s English / that is broken’, writes Bao Phi. Instead it is the assumption that there is only one way of being American that is broken and books like this are extremely necessary for that reason.
‘I’ll never stop stealing back what’s mine.
I promise: i won’t forget again.’
-Franny Choi, from‘Choi Jeong Min’
This collection is for celebrating the voices within and giving space to their experiences by focusing on their authentic perspectives. Far too often we see even well-intentioned individuals whitewash the resonance of marginalized voices by centering the white experience and assuming the work of people of color as an opportunity for growth and understanding in the white community. Yes, many studies have shown that reading is a major cornerstone in building empathy and is a valuable socializing influence, but the work of marginalized voices is not for whiteness to colonize for their needs. ‘It’s one thing to major in Ethnic studies / it’s another to be the reason / for its existence’ says Terisa Siagatonu. While it is important for those of privilege to read and recognize these voices, it is also okay to just take it in and not try to make it your own. I hope to only use my voice in this review to urge you to hear the voices of these writers and to read their introductions and afterwords. Siagatonu explains it best:
It is truly great that these is a collection such as this for those who have shared the experience to be able to turn to and realize that they are not alone, that they are valued, that they are loved, that there is no one right way to belong in the United States.
i come from two failed countries
& i give them back i pledge
allegiance to no land no border
cut by force to draw blood i pledge
allegiance to no government no
collection of white men carving up
the map with their pens
-Safia Elhillo, from ‘Self-Portrait With No Flag’
This is a highly recommended anthology for both those already familiar with any of the poets and especially for those looking for new writers or authentic stories of the refugee or immigrant experience. The essays contained within are just as important and moving as the poetry and Seven Stories has done well by collecting all these pieces into one brilliant anthology.
⅘
A New National Anthem
-Ada Limon
The truth is, I’ve never cared for the National
Anthem. If you think about it, it’s not a good
song. Too high for most of us with “the rockets
red glare” and then there are the bombs.
(Always, always, there is war and bombs.)
Once, I sang it at homecoming and threw
even the tenacious high school band off key.
But the song didn’t mean anything, just a call
to the field, something to get through before
the pummeling of youth. And what of the stanzas
we never sing, the third that mentions “no refuge
could save the hireling and the slave”? Perhaps,
the truth is, every song of this country
has an unsung third stanza, something brutal
snaking underneath us as we blindly sing
the high notes with a beer sloshing in the stands
hoping our team wins. Don’t get me wrong, I do
like the flag, how it undulates in the wind
like water, elemental, and best when it’s humbled,
brought to its knees, clung to by someone who
has lost everything, when it’s not a weapon,
when it flickers, when it folds up so perfectly
you can keep it until it’s needed, until you can
love it again, until the song in your mouth feels
like sustenance, a song where the notes are sung
by even the ageless woods, the short-grass plains,
the Red River Gorge, the fistful of land left
unpoisoned, that song that’s our birthright,
that’s sung in silence when it’s too hard to go on,
that sounds like someone’s rough fingers weaving
into another’s, that sounds like a match being lit
in an endless cave, the song that says my bones
are your bones, and your bones are my bones,
and isn’t that enough?
Severed from a life that persists as shadows of shadows.’
- Paul Tran
The publication of Ink Knows No Borders: Poems of the Immigrant and Refugee Experience is cause for celebration, particularly as it is an extraordinary collection of vibrant voices speaking out to remind us that a country is a collection of cultures that are all valuable and beautiful. Not only is this an important anthology for its subject matter but also a fantastic way to introduce--or reacquaint--yourself with some of the most notable voices in modern poetry. Collected here are Ada Limon, Kaveh Akbar, Safia Elhillo, Ocean Vuong, Eavan Boland, Elizabeth Acevedo, Chen Chen, Li-Young Lee, Fatimah Asghar, Erika L. Sánchez, Solmaz Sharif, Hieu Minh Nguyen among many, many other amazing works that show us that being American comes in many colors, cultures, languages, and people. ‘Being an advocate for change, that’s something we should be in every walk of life’, writes UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador and 2015 Individual World Poetry Slam champion Emtithal Mahmoud in her Afterword, ‘you just have to reach out and recognize people. Recognize our fellow humans around the world who are fighting for the right to exist.’ This collection is an important way to give space to--and recognize--these necessary voices, particularly as hostility towards refugees and immigrants is at a fever pitch of dehumanizing propaganda for the purpose of political gain and we need to embrace and love everyone regardless of citizenship status.
‘I wish maps would be without
borders & that we belonged
to no one & to everyone
at once, what a world that
would be’
-Yesenia Montilla
To read this collection is a very emotional experience, but ‘comfort is what kills us in the long run’ say Terisa Siagatonu. The poems contained within chronicle the journeys of immigrants and those who experienced what Elizabeth Acevedo calls the ‘unholy baptism’ of refugees. These are tales of pain, loss, oppression, but also love and growth. There are powerful stories about families struggling to survive or even just be valued in the place they call home, about people struggling with identity or to love themselves in a world that fears difference and assumes too much. America, am I not your refugee asks Fatimah Asghar, reminding America of its actions and complicity and in creating refugees as hypocritical to the negative attitudes against refugees. ‘I wish you would ask of the memories / I had before my identity became political’, pleads Yosimar Reyes. Here we take a deep look at the hatred faced by those who come here, those who just want to survive and live their lives, and a probing look at the morality like borders, which Alberto Ríos calls ‘an equation in search of an equals sign’ and states that ‘The Border is mighty, but even the parting of the seas created a path / Not a barrier.’ What comes across strongest is the will to live and be beautiful even in a world that can be ugly. This is a perfect collection for those looking for that reminder when their own identity is treated as something other than beautiful, such as in this passage from ‘Someday I’ll Love Ocean Vuong’ by Ocean Vuong:
‘The most beautiful part of your bodyAll these amazing writers in one place celebrating difference, diversity, and identity is a wonderful thing, and I’m so glad this collection exists. Every poem is breathtaking and much needed. We need more collections like this, and we need more attention to marginalized voices in all anthologies.
Is where it’s headed. & remember,
Loneliness is still time spent
With the world.
‘I must write the same poem over and over
for an empty page is the white flag of their surrender’
- Ilya Kaminsky, from ‘Author’s Prayer’
Normalizing diversity in publishing and making a space for voices beyond the standard, white hegemony is urgently needed to let marginalized voices be heard. While diversity in publishing is improving, it is still far dominated by white, cisgendered voices. This is particularly true in children’s fiction where, despite the growing inclusion of diversity in characters, only 7% of authors published in 2018 were non-white (up 1% from 2016). Anthologies like this that help make a space for authentic perspectives on diversity are necessary and while the marketing of this anthology as “poetry for young adults” does unfortunately seem to downplay these voices as somehow less-than-Real-poetry--a problem that persists when many black poets are often labeled as ‘slam poets’ as if to categorize them as a lesser tier-- the intent to help normalize diversity in young adult reading as well as promote poetry in this same demographic is quite welcomed. Especially to have books like this be able to reach the hands of young students who have been marginalized and can find comfort in strong voices of those like themselves. The voices in this collection are here to remind us that centering whiteness as the standard leads to oppression, hurt and often violence. ‘It’s not my mom’s English / that is broken’, writes Bao Phi. Instead it is the assumption that there is only one way of being American that is broken and books like this are extremely necessary for that reason.
‘I’ll never stop stealing back what’s mine.
I promise: i won’t forget again.’
-Franny Choi, from‘Choi Jeong Min’
This collection is for celebrating the voices within and giving space to their experiences by focusing on their authentic perspectives. Far too often we see even well-intentioned individuals whitewash the resonance of marginalized voices by centering the white experience and assuming the work of people of color as an opportunity for growth and understanding in the white community. Yes, many studies have shown that reading is a major cornerstone in building empathy and is a valuable socializing influence, but the work of marginalized voices is not for whiteness to colonize for their needs. ‘It’s one thing to major in Ethnic studies / it’s another to be the reason / for its existence’ says Terisa Siagatonu. While it is important for those of privilege to read and recognize these voices, it is also okay to just take it in and not try to make it your own. I hope to only use my voice in this review to urge you to hear the voices of these writers and to read their introductions and afterwords. Siagatonu explains it best:
For the white students in my major
Ethnic Studies is like a free study abroad program
that doesn't require that they bring their baggage with them.
A privilege that is easy for them to close in their textbook
at the end of class.
It is truly great that these is a collection such as this for those who have shared the experience to be able to turn to and realize that they are not alone, that they are valued, that they are loved, that there is no one right way to belong in the United States.
i come from two failed countries
& i give them back i pledge
allegiance to no land no border
cut by force to draw blood i pledge
allegiance to no government no
collection of white men carving up
the map with their pens
-Safia Elhillo, from ‘Self-Portrait With No Flag’
This is a highly recommended anthology for both those already familiar with any of the poets and especially for those looking for new writers or authentic stories of the refugee or immigrant experience. The essays contained within are just as important and moving as the poetry and Seven Stories has done well by collecting all these pieces into one brilliant anthology.
⅘
A New National Anthem
-Ada Limon
The truth is, I’ve never cared for the National
Anthem. If you think about it, it’s not a good
song. Too high for most of us with “the rockets
red glare” and then there are the bombs.
(Always, always, there is war and bombs.)
Once, I sang it at homecoming and threw
even the tenacious high school band off key.
But the song didn’t mean anything, just a call
to the field, something to get through before
the pummeling of youth. And what of the stanzas
we never sing, the third that mentions “no refuge
could save the hireling and the slave”? Perhaps,
the truth is, every song of this country
has an unsung third stanza, something brutal
snaking underneath us as we blindly sing
the high notes with a beer sloshing in the stands
hoping our team wins. Don’t get me wrong, I do
like the flag, how it undulates in the wind
like water, elemental, and best when it’s humbled,
brought to its knees, clung to by someone who
has lost everything, when it’s not a weapon,
when it flickers, when it folds up so perfectly
you can keep it until it’s needed, until you can
love it again, until the song in your mouth feels
like sustenance, a song where the notes are sung
by even the ageless woods, the short-grass plains,
the Red River Gorge, the fistful of land left
unpoisoned, that song that’s our birthright,
that’s sung in silence when it’s too hard to go on,
that sounds like someone’s rough fingers weaving
into another’s, that sounds like a match being lit
in an endless cave, the song that says my bones
are your bones, and your bones are my bones,
and isn’t that enough?
January 26, 2019
And what they think is rebellion is, in truth, survival. Because if you stay silent one second longer, the anger surging through your blood will engulf you in flames.
I was immediately intrigued when I heard of Ink Knows No Borders. It's a collection of own-voice poetry by immigrants and children of immigrants, tackling their experiences, their family's experiences, diaspora, and more.
I'll never stop stealing back what's mine.
I promise: I won't forget again.
There are so many absolute gems in this collection, and if you enjoy poetry as a whole, I definitely recommend picking up a copy—especially if you enjoy reading about immigration experiences, whether you're looking to see yourself reflected in what you read, or looking for a window into a life you'll never know firsthand but want to empathize with better. I feel like there are things in this collection that I never considered being such massive obstacles, and it was beyond heart-breaking at times.
I am watching the road unravel
behind us like a ribbon of dust.
If I were to pick favorites, I think they would be 'Frank's Nursery and Crafts' by Bao Phi, 'Mama' by Emtithal Mahmoud, and 'Ethnic Studies' by Terisa Siagatonu, but these are frankly just scratching the surface. That said, there are definitely a handful of poems included that I didn't enjoy (and didn't understand how they were relevant to the topic?), which is the only reason I'm giving this 4 stars rather than 5.
All quotes come from an advance copy and may not match the final release. Thank you so much to 7 Stories Press for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
August 9, 2021
My oh my. What took me so long to read this collection? I'm so glad that I've made it a personal mission to have a book of poetry ongoing. This one gave me a lot to digest as it is the immigrant/refugee experience from so many perspectives. There are a variety of cultures, religions and countries represented.
I read the poems in order. When I finished a poem, I would jump to the biographical information in the back of the book. I have many authors and collections I would like to check out.
The collection is aimed at Young Adults, but I think this is a good one for anyone interested in considering America from this unique perspective of being an insider, but never really being embraced as one of the family.
Some favorites:
"Dear America" by Sholeh Wolpe
"On Being American" by Samira Ahmed
"On Listening to Your Teacher Take Attendance" by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
“Muslim Girlhood" by Leila Chatti
"Master Film" by Solmaz Sharif
"History Lesson" by Jeff Coomer
"Frank's Nursery and Crafts" by Bao Phi
"Off-Island Chamorros" by Craig Santos Perez
"A New National Anthem" by Ada Limon
"Mama" by Emtithal Mahmoud
"Ode to Enclaves" by Chrysanthemum Tran
"Ethnic Studies" by Terisa Saigatonu
"Las Casas Across Nations" by Gabriella Gutierrez by Muhs
"Refugees" by Brian Bilston
I read the poems in order. When I finished a poem, I would jump to the biographical information in the back of the book. I have many authors and collections I would like to check out.
The collection is aimed at Young Adults, but I think this is a good one for anyone interested in considering America from this unique perspective of being an insider, but never really being embraced as one of the family.
Some favorites:
"Dear America" by Sholeh Wolpe
"On Being American" by Samira Ahmed
"On Listening to Your Teacher Take Attendance" by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
“Muslim Girlhood" by Leila Chatti
"Master Film" by Solmaz Sharif
"History Lesson" by Jeff Coomer
"Frank's Nursery and Crafts" by Bao Phi
"Off-Island Chamorros" by Craig Santos Perez
"A New National Anthem" by Ada Limon
"Mama" by Emtithal Mahmoud
"Ode to Enclaves" by Chrysanthemum Tran
"Ethnic Studies" by Terisa Saigatonu
"Las Casas Across Nations" by Gabriella Gutierrez by Muhs
"Refugees" by Brian Bilston
July 14, 2021
Review to come.
January 31, 2020
This collection of poetry reaches deep. Almost all the pieces are wonderful and poignant.
I especially liked the "Forward," the one by Bao Phi, "Ethnic Studies," "quaking conversation," "Atlantis," "Oh, Daughter," "Refugees," and "Undocumented Joy." The piece by Fatimah Asghar led me to pick up her book of poetry.
Several quotes:
The photographs whispered to each other
from their frames in the hallway
The cooking pots said your name
each time you walked past the kitchen.
(Li-Young Lee)
And what they think is rebellion is, in truth, survival. Because if you
stay silent one second longer, the anger surging through your
blood will engulf you in flames....
For a land built on the backs of your black and brown brothers and
sisters and soaked in their blood.
(Samira Ahmed)
Don't talk about the motherland unless you know
that being from Africa mean waking up an afterthought
in this country.
Don't talk about my flavor unless you know
that my flavor is insurrection, it is rebellion, resistance
My flavor is mutiny
It is burden, it is grit, and it is compromise
And you don't know compromise until you've built your home for
the third time
Without bricks, without mortar, without any other option.
(Emtithal Mahmoud)
I especially liked the "Forward," the one by Bao Phi, "Ethnic Studies," "quaking conversation," "Atlantis," "Oh, Daughter," "Refugees," and "Undocumented Joy." The piece by Fatimah Asghar led me to pick up her book of poetry.
Several quotes:
The photographs whispered to each other
from their frames in the hallway
The cooking pots said your name
each time you walked past the kitchen.
(Li-Young Lee)
And what they think is rebellion is, in truth, survival. Because if you
stay silent one second longer, the anger surging through your
blood will engulf you in flames....
For a land built on the backs of your black and brown brothers and
sisters and soaked in their blood.
(Samira Ahmed)
Don't talk about the motherland unless you know
that being from Africa mean waking up an afterthought
in this country.
Don't talk about my flavor unless you know
that my flavor is insurrection, it is rebellion, resistance
My flavor is mutiny
It is burden, it is grit, and it is compromise
And you don't know compromise until you've built your home for
the third time
Without bricks, without mortar, without any other option.
(Emtithal Mahmoud)
January 3, 2022
Skipped around through it over the course of a month or two and really enjoyed it each time I opened it. I'm personally partial to the Vietnamese authors and initially picked it up for Ocean Vuong, and I was especially struck by the piercing insight and inspiring theme of Chrysanthamum Tran, the storytelling power of Bao Phi, and the pacing spacing and phrasing of Paul Tran.
I discovered other powerfully impressive poems by Lanelle Moise, Rajiv Mohabir, Jeff Coomer, Jose Olivera and Francisco Alarcon.
---
To improve the book, add organization and details. The poems were not organized in any discernable manner (ie region, subject, alphabetically...), nor did the poem's page include any information about the individual (country of origin, if nothing else! obviously!). Country of origin, date, or even a brief sentence giving context would all be appropriate and add depth and understanding to their poems for the readers. Short poet bios were available in the back and forth, but the flipping back and forth was inconvenient and unnatural.
I discovered other powerfully impressive poems by Lanelle Moise, Rajiv Mohabir, Jeff Coomer, Jose Olivera and Francisco Alarcon.
---
To improve the book, add organization and details. The poems were not organized in any discernable manner (ie region, subject, alphabetically...), nor did the poem's page include any information about the individual (country of origin, if nothing else! obviously!). Country of origin, date, or even a brief sentence giving context would all be appropriate and add depth and understanding to their poems for the readers. Short poet bios were available in the back and forth, but the flipping back and forth was inconvenient and unnatural.
July 17, 2019
Fave Poems:
Dear America - Sholeh Wope
On Being American - Samira Ahmed
Frank's Nursery and Crafts - Bao Phi
A New National Anthem - Ada Limon
Talks about Race - Mahtem Shiferraw
Mama - Emtithal Mahmoud
Ethnic Studies - Terisa Siagatonou
Atlantis - Elizabeth Acevedo
Mexicans Begin Jogging - Gary Soto
Undocumented Joy - Yosimar Reyes
Dear America - Sholeh Wope
On Being American - Samira Ahmed
Frank's Nursery and Crafts - Bao Phi
A New National Anthem - Ada Limon
Talks about Race - Mahtem Shiferraw
Mama - Emtithal Mahmoud
Ethnic Studies - Terisa Siagatonou
Atlantis - Elizabeth Acevedo
Mexicans Begin Jogging - Gary Soto
Undocumented Joy - Yosimar Reyes
Read
February 7, 2021A stellar lineup, but as I read on, I kept feeling that I would have picked different poems from many of the authors. As far as I can tell, the editors are not immigrants themselves (I might be wrong?), so maybe that's why?
____
Source of the book: Lawrence Public Library impulse borrow
____
Source of the book: Lawrence Public Library impulse borrow
August 31, 2025
Powerful. This is a great collection of poems - some of them are really eye-wideningly good!
February 23, 2021
“It’s easy to avoid confronting things that make us uncomfortable. The things that make us feel guilty. But corporate is what kills us in the long run. Comfort is sitting down when you should be on your feet. It’s staying quiet when you should be speaking up. It’s speaking too much, when you should be listening. It’s putting up borders for safety, and not bridges for healing. Comfort is celebrating diversity, but never discussing it.”
Probably one of my favorite poetry collections by various poets! These poems discuss various aspects of the immigrant and refugee experience. As an immigrant, I connected with a lot of the poems included in this collection, but also in many I acknowledged the privilege in reading what other lived, as Emtithal Mahmoud mentioned in the afterward.
Hope this collection will make every reader more empathetic towards people who are forced to leave their motherlands in search for a better future. Maybe this will be the first step in making these experiences less painful.
Probably one of my favorite poetry collections by various poets! These poems discuss various aspects of the immigrant and refugee experience. As an immigrant, I connected with a lot of the poems included in this collection, but also in many I acknowledged the privilege in reading what other lived, as Emtithal Mahmoud mentioned in the afterward.
Hope this collection will make every reader more empathetic towards people who are forced to leave their motherlands in search for a better future. Maybe this will be the first step in making these experiences less painful.
February 16, 2019
A beautiful collection full of creative poetry that tells realistic experiences. We hear different stories behind immigration and the refugee crisis. It is time we heard the truth and these poems finally provide that. This poignant and important collection will shine a light on what is really going on in the world. It is heartbreaking and beautiful but it is what today's teens need to hear.
I was provided with ARC from Edelweiss for an honest review.
I was provided with ARC from Edelweiss for an honest review.
April 24, 2020
A must-have for high school libraries. This beautiful collection tells the stories of immigrants from around the world and lets readers in to many facets of life as an immigrant. Teen readers may be familiar with some contributors including Elizabeth Acevedo, Samira Ahmed, Erika Sanchez, and more. Some stand outs for me included “On Listening to Your Teacher Take Attendance,” “ode to the first white girl i ever loved,” and the amazing palindrome poem “Refugees.”
January 19, 2019
You can just imagine, as a reader, the love and dedication to getting the words on paper that solidify and verify the kinds of ranges of experiences refugees and immigrants experience across the world. It's heartfelt and beautiful and shows the artistic talents but also the amazing power of poetry seen through their eyes.
September 8, 2019
I read this twice back to back. There's so much to say. A couple of the poems that made me tear up. It's insane how society treats people. I liked that it did include Americans from Guam and Puerto Rico that get treated as a "domestic foreigner".
"Origin/Adoption" by Marci Calabretta Cancio-Bello was the poem that shined the brightest to me.
"Origin/Adoption" by Marci Calabretta Cancio-Bello was the poem that shined the brightest to me.
April 30, 2020
In retrospect, I wish I would've read each author's biography (included at the end of this book) as I finished their respective poems, but I know there will be an opportunity to do this in the future when I add this title to my personal library. Overall, it was a beautiful and heartfelt collection, with many poems resonating with my own immigrant experience.
Read
November 26, 2019it honestly blows my mind how talented these poets are and how brave they are to share their stories. i was pleased to have read some familiar names but i also have added a whole bunch of new poets to my "to read" list.
February 28, 2020
What a powerful collection of poems and stories. I've learned a lot over the past few years about my privilege and my ignorance around refugees and immigrants. These stories should not only be widely shared but honored and acknowledged.
August 22, 2019
One of the most impactful things I've read in quite some time. This is a must read.
September 13, 2021
"i will never stop stealing back what's mine.
i promise: i won't forget again."
Franny Choi
//
"...The most beautiful part of your body
is where it's headed. & remember,
loneliness is still time spent with the world. ..."
Ocean Vuong
//
"because we're black and I never knew I was twenty-two"
Yesenia Montilla
//
"The border is an equation in search of an equals sign."
Alberto Ríos
//
"but anyway
up here "dark"
is only for
the ashes
the stuff
lonely nights
are made of"
Francisco X. Alarcón
i promise: i won't forget again."
Franny Choi
//
"...The most beautiful part of your body
is where it's headed. & remember,
loneliness is still time spent with the world. ..."
Ocean Vuong
//
"because we're black and I never knew I was twenty-two"
Yesenia Montilla
//
"The border is an equation in search of an equals sign."
Alberto Ríos
//
"but anyway
up here "dark"
is only for
the ashes
the stuff
lonely nights
are made of"
Francisco X. Alarcón
May 26, 2022
SOOOO GOOODDDDD!!!!! i love poetry collections and this one was so beautiful and diverse, some parts were very much "lunchbox-story-diaspora-kid" poetry which was kind of an ick but i really loved reading about the various parts of the immigrant experience across different cultures, especially with all the different styles of poetry. 10/10 its SO GOOD
August 26, 2023
Favorites:
Departure: July 30, 1984 by Joseph O. Legaspi
Dear America by Sholeh Wolpé
My Grandmother Washes Her Feet in the Sink of the Bathroom at Sears by Mohja Kahf
Someday I'll Love Ocean Vuong by Ocean Vuong
Split by Cathy Linh Che
Author's Prayer by Ilya Kaminsky
Home by Safiya Sinclair
Departure: July 30, 1984 by Joseph O. Legaspi
Dear America by Sholeh Wolpé
My Grandmother Washes Her Feet in the Sink of the Bathroom at Sears by Mohja Kahf
Someday I'll Love Ocean Vuong by Ocean Vuong
Split by Cathy Linh Che
Author's Prayer by Ilya Kaminsky
Home by Safiya Sinclair
January 7, 2024
okay…but what if I never stop thinking of this and never recover, what then?
June 22, 2019
This collection both broke and healed me. Many of my favorite poets were featured as well (Fatimah Asghar, Elizabeth Acevedo, Safiya Elhillo, Franny Choi, to name a few). Such a must read for any reader.
April 21, 2019
The kind of collection where the feeling of otherness gives way to a sense of community. Upheaval channeled through so many voices shows similarities around the world in treatment of refugees and immigrants even as we see the great variety in the writers themselves.
April 5, 2019
(I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.)
This collection presents a wide range of viewpoints and experiences that, combined, make up the "immigrant and refugee experience". Leavings and comings are painful and beautiful in different ways - minute, blossoming ways that maybe only make sense years later through the lens of poetry.
I love poetry because it can stretch out moments (like the fragrance of a flower you'll never smell again or the first moment that the sun catches the soil of your new American home) over pages or condense trauma into single, shattering lines.
I strongly recommend this collection for a classroom library. This is a collection that builds empathy for an experience that, while containing common aspects for many, is anything but monolithic. Students will laugh and cry and consider.
This collection presents a wide range of viewpoints and experiences that, combined, make up the "immigrant and refugee experience". Leavings and comings are painful and beautiful in different ways - minute, blossoming ways that maybe only make sense years later through the lens of poetry.
I love poetry because it can stretch out moments (like the fragrance of a flower you'll never smell again or the first moment that the sun catches the soil of your new American home) over pages or condense trauma into single, shattering lines.
I strongly recommend this collection for a classroom library. This is a collection that builds empathy for an experience that, while containing common aspects for many, is anything but monolithic. Students will laugh and cry and consider.
August 17, 2019
See full review and more here!
Recommended: Yes, especially right now
For anyone who lives on Earth. For those who could learn some empathy. For classrooms all over. For anyone in need of some feelz.
This collection has many different ways of capturing the same message of refugees, immigrants, and anyone who has ever ended up somewhere unfamiliar: We are people, too. With how much hatred and fear surrounds opinions on refugees and immigrants, this is a necessary collection. I feel like this is a good example of how it's easy to be hateful and fearful when it's towards an anonymous mass, but to be shown inside someone's heart and be reminded that they are human, too, the hate and fear are replaced by shame for having directed such vitriol at people trying to make a life for themselves. That was a very long sentence for a very important point.
Some of these poems are very abstract, or so specific that they felt like they were written for the poet's heart only. Others feel so approachable and familiar, it makes me wish I could talk with them further.
Of note:
Refugees - Brian Bilston
This one in particular is one that would work well with many people, for the relative ease of understanding as well as the clear contrast that can show someone how misguided their thoughts may be.
Ethnic Studies - Terisa Siagatonu
A constantly needed reminder of privilege, and how some people can't close a book and leave questions of racism and class in a classroom, because it's their life, not their coursework.
Talks about Race - Mahtem Shiferraw
For these lovely lines:
"I don't know what to say to these people
who notice the shape of the eye before its depth
the sound of the tongue before its wisdom
the openness of a palm before its reach"
Quaking conversation
Recommended: Yes, especially right now
For anyone who lives on Earth. For those who could learn some empathy. For classrooms all over. For anyone in need of some feelz.
This collection has many different ways of capturing the same message of refugees, immigrants, and anyone who has ever ended up somewhere unfamiliar: We are people, too. With how much hatred and fear surrounds opinions on refugees and immigrants, this is a necessary collection. I feel like this is a good example of how it's easy to be hateful and fearful when it's towards an anonymous mass, but to be shown inside someone's heart and be reminded that they are human, too, the hate and fear are replaced by shame for having directed such vitriol at people trying to make a life for themselves. That was a very long sentence for a very important point.
Some of these poems are very abstract, or so specific that they felt like they were written for the poet's heart only. Others feel so approachable and familiar, it makes me wish I could talk with them further.
Of note:
Refugees - Brian Bilston
This one in particular is one that would work well with many people, for the relative ease of understanding as well as the clear contrast that can show someone how misguided their thoughts may be.
Ethnic Studies - Terisa Siagatonu
A constantly needed reminder of privilege, and how some people can't close a book and leave questions of racism and class in a classroom, because it's their life, not their coursework.
Talks about Race - Mahtem Shiferraw
For these lovely lines:
"I don't know what to say to these people
who notice the shape of the eye before its depth
the sound of the tongue before its wisdom
the openness of a palm before its reach"
Quaking conversation
May 4, 2019
SO much truth in these poems...
Notable lines (but there were too many):
“You are confused because the ethnic slur is inaccurate. / You realize, too young, that racists fail geography but that their / epithets and perverted patriotism can still shatter moments of your childhood.”
“I too am a draft horse whose hoofs / need shoes, whose soul is not waterproof, whose energy center leaks, / whose refuge is not horizontal not black & white, more like dawn / rolling over me from grey into a hundred shards of roses hand-painted / in my scared dreams.”
“Perhaps / the truth is every song of this country / has an unsung third stanza, something brutal / snaking underneath us as we blindly sing . . . ”
“The most beautiful part of your body / is where it’s headed. & remember, / loneliness is still time spent / with the world. Here’s / the room with everyone in it.”
“ . . . everything ours can burn / at any second. Koreatown, Little India, / Banglatown, Little Manila-no matter / how many pick at the bones / of immigrant communities, / we always endure the scorch / and cackle with a smile.”
Notable lines (but there were too many):
“You are confused because the ethnic slur is inaccurate. / You realize, too young, that racists fail geography but that their / epithets and perverted patriotism can still shatter moments of your childhood.”
“I too am a draft horse whose hoofs / need shoes, whose soul is not waterproof, whose energy center leaks, / whose refuge is not horizontal not black & white, more like dawn / rolling over me from grey into a hundred shards of roses hand-painted / in my scared dreams.”
“Perhaps / the truth is every song of this country / has an unsung third stanza, something brutal / snaking underneath us as we blindly sing . . . ”
“The most beautiful part of your body / is where it’s headed. & remember, / loneliness is still time spent / with the world. Here’s / the room with everyone in it.”
“ . . . everything ours can burn / at any second. Koreatown, Little India, / Banglatown, Little Manila-no matter / how many pick at the bones / of immigrant communities, / we always endure the scorch / and cackle with a smile.”
November 18, 2019
I loved this book, I think it's amazing. So much importance in the messages shared through all these different voices. The poets in this book write about their experience and struggles being refugees and/or immigrants, how the world looks and feels to them and how misunderstood and mistreated they are. These poems make their voices heard and allow all of us to cultivate empathy and understanding.
Many poems made me think, some made me cry and a few of them haunt me.
I'll leave you with a quote from on of the poets I discovered, and now love, through this book:
"It's easy to avoid confronting the things that make us uncomfortable. The things that make us feel guilty.
But comfort is what kills us in the long run.
Comfort is sitting down when you should be on your feet.
It's staying quiet when you should be speaking up
It’s speaking too much, when you should be listening.
It’s putting up borders for safety, and not
bridges for healing
Comfort is celebrating diversity, but
never discussing it"
From the poem "Ethnic Studies" by Terisa Siagatonu
Many poems made me think, some made me cry and a few of them haunt me.
I'll leave you with a quote from on of the poets I discovered, and now love, through this book:
"It's easy to avoid confronting the things that make us uncomfortable. The things that make us feel guilty.
But comfort is what kills us in the long run.
Comfort is sitting down when you should be on your feet.
It's staying quiet when you should be speaking up
It’s speaking too much, when you should be listening.
It’s putting up borders for safety, and not
bridges for healing
Comfort is celebrating diversity, but
never discussing it"
From the poem "Ethnic Studies" by Terisa Siagatonu
December 19, 2018
This was exceptional. I will never fully understand the immigrant or refugee experience, but I can understand through empathy that leaving everything you've ever known to pursue something safer, happier, more filled with opportunity has to be the hardest decision to make. Especially when that "better" location treats you as a lesser, unwelcome subhuman. I was particularly impressed with three works: Samira Ahmed's, Terisa Siagatonu, and the creative forwards-backwards poem by Brian Bilston. This is not to say I wasn't impacted by the rest, but these were the highlights. I will close by simply saying immigrants and refugees are welcome here. We need your ideas, your talents, and your vast experiences in order to truly make America great. My greatest hope for you is that others will realize this as well and welcome you as I do.
April 3, 2019
(Disclaimer: I received this book from Edelweiss. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
I often dabble in poetry and I have got to say that Ink Knows No Borders is right up my alley. The premise of ownvoices poems about the immigrant and refugee experience was the main reason I knew I had to pick up this collection, and then when I saw the contributor list, I was even more obsessed. There are so many gorgeous, heartbreaking, and tender poems. This is a collection for people without a voice.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
I often dabble in poetry and I have got to say that Ink Knows No Borders is right up my alley. The premise of ownvoices poems about the immigrant and refugee experience was the main reason I knew I had to pick up this collection, and then when I saw the contributor list, I was even more obsessed. There are so many gorgeous, heartbreaking, and tender poems. This is a collection for people without a voice.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
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