"Muslim Like Me"

my first published work!!!!!!!!!!

2009-03-03T14:44:00.000-08:00

Assalam Alikom dear readers,

I would like to share my first published work with you!! Insha'Allah you can check it out at http://amaany.org/faith_inspiration_starbucksmuslimah2008.html

I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it:)

Kim

A poem: my first "date" with my husband!

2008-05-12T08:17:00.000-07:00

Assalam alikom!

I pray everyone is in the best of health and eeman (faith), striving your best to please Allah subhanna wa t'ala!

I just wanted to share a poem I wrote about my first "date" with my husband, almost four years ago.

lunch

alone, singularly stoic
in a sea of bodies
standing, staring at Union Square,
you waited for me.

like a story we began,
the beginning, begin.

a lovely duet, we danced the streets
in pirouettes that day
an unrehearsed scene for two,
doubly complacent concerning what to do.

like a
stone
skips
over
water,
my
heart
skipped
over
you.

speak, speaking spoke of
nothing, everything really
eat, ate not at all
my plate was full of you.

brown eyes sparkle like
icicles melting in the winter sun
words dripping like drops of
rain into the reservoir of my soul.

mascara thick lashes meet, hiding
syrupy tears in my green eyes
one streams down the contour of my face.
lands on the glossy wood table next to our forgotten
lunch.

Copyright Kim Joseph 2008 all rights reserved with the author.

A poem to share with you

2008-04-13T00:42:00.000-07:00

Assalam Alikom!

This is one of my most favorite poems, and I thought I would share it with you.

Walk On By

I
am
standing, staring at my reflection in the mirror

I
close my blue eyes, tie my blonde hair back and breathe in the breeze just sent in
“At least you have a nice face” my grandmother used to say
I choke on old memories as I wrap the soft blue scarf around my head and
smile as I turn out the light.

I
take a deep breath and step outside, return a fake “hello” given by the old man who sits solo, wave and smile at the summer fruit stand man and smile as I walk on by.

walk on by and look away as the vision of me makes eyes stare stupidly

walk on by as they shout “terrorist bitch”, “traitor”, “I don’t like you”

walk on by as young girls and old women cross themselves as I pass

walk on by as someone yells “I love Jesus!” and “Alleluia!”

walk on by as people sigh, roll their eyes and say “Good God!” under their breath

I
stop
walking,
someone smiles, bows and touches his right hand to his heart and says, “may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon you” “and also upon you” I return and smile,

then walk on by.

Note: No writing may be changed without the permission of the author. All rights are reserved with the author. Any work shared by the author can only be used under the event agreed upon by the author. Copyright 2008 Kimberly Joseph

Flyer for 'Muslim Like Me' Anthology

2008-04-06T06:09:00.000-07:00

Some questions to ask yourself when writing insha'Allah

2008-04-05T05:44:00.000-07:00

Bismillah ArRahman ArRaheem

Assalam Alikom!

Here are some tips and helpful questions to ask yourself while writing in short story form insha'Allah!

Tips
1. Always try your best to show, show, show! This means instead of just telling your reader what happened, show your reader! Ex of telling: "I had coffee every morning and it was my favorite time of the day". Ex of showing: "Each morning I peeled my eyes open and tore myself away from my bed. I could only do this in eager anticipation of my most cherished part of the day, found in an over sized creamy cafe latte".

2. You can do this using imagery, dialogue, flashbacks etc.

3. You can create mood by using natural resources like weather, seasons, foods, activities like sports and nature (animals).

4. Using analogies will help you show instead of tell insha'Allah. Ex: "We stood facing each other like a couple at an altar, eyes and hands interlocked and oblivious to the world around us".

5. In your writing I want to know how you were feeling, thinking and acting! By showing all of this it will bring your reader into your story insha'Allah.

This should be of some help insha'Allah. I am asking this of you because it will really help the reader to come into your story and experience it for herself/himself. This is what we want! Understanding. Compassion.

Happy Writing insha'Allah!

May Allah bless and love you,
Kim Joseph

Welcome to my new blog!

2008-04-04T14:23:00.000-07:00

Bismillah ArRahman ArRaheem

Assalam Alikom!

I would like to begin with giving thanks to Allah swt, for it is Allah who makes all things possible. This blog marks the beginning of a journey that I have been planning to take for a long time. Ever since I took Shahada in 2004 I have had a desire to share my story. I have also always loved to hear the stories of other converts as well. Whenever I have been blessed by Allah swt to be present when someone else takes Shahada I cry from the deepest most purest place within myself.
Every time.
The desire to share my story never went away, it only grew stronger with each passing day. This project, this book, this anthology insha'Allah "Muslim Like Me" is my first step towards making change. The intention I have in creating this book, this space and this community is to create a change in the way our society views Muslims insha'Allah. I would like to show America what Islam is through your stories. I would like each story to tell America what being Muslim means to you. I do not wish to define, limit or categorize Islam or Muslims. That is not my purpose here. I do not claim to be a scholar, on the contrary my knowledge is very little but my belief is deep within who I am and how I live my life. Elhumdulillah. I believe deep within myself that by sharing our conversion stories through poetry, prose, short stories and visual art we can begin.
We can create change one word at a time.
One picture at a time.
I want this book insha'Allah to be a very open and safe space for any of you who wish to contribute. This is your work, your life and I wish for you to share your experiences however you feel comfortable. I look forward to meeting all of you insha'Allah.

Let us begin.

May Allah love and bless you!
Kim