Murmurations: Flying Into the Spring Equinox

A note from adrienne maree brown: Sham-e-Ali Nayeem is a Muslim poet who has recently released a gorgeous album called . Sham-e-Ali is also a long-term supporter of arts and emergent strategy.

MOTH

It isn鈥檛 in the wings or the flying
where freedom takes place
it is in the quiet cosmos of
your unbecoming.

In a case of silk
your essence is protected
while imaginal discs shift
molt into mystery, cave in.

May a song be an anchor
while your body falls into itself.
May you find beauty
in the reconstruction.

Do you remember
your simultaneous
origin and conclusion?

Do you remember
how once in a cocoon
you met yourself?

Sham-e-Ali Nayeem is a multidisciplinary artist, poet, musician, and recovering social justice lawyer with Hyderabadi Muslim roots. She is the author of the poetry collection City of Pearls (Upset Press, 2019) and has released two albums, City of Pearls (2019) and Moti Ka Sheher (2023), featuring self-composed musical interpretations from her book. She speaks Urdu and English. Find her on Instagram @sham_e_ali_nayeem.

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