Conversations with Poets - Ahmed

Ahmed first started writing poetry when was 19 years old although he didn’t take it seriously at the time. “If you were to read one of my journals, you’d be reading a bunch of gibberish,” he said.

“But that gibberish is actually my thoughts trying to come out all at once. Of course, when it comes to poetry, it should grammatically make sense, but in terms of the ‘rules of poetry’, I don’t believe in structured poetry. Just write how you feel. That’s how I first started writing poetry.”

Growing up, most of Ahmed’s childhood friends were raised without fathers which has allowed him to appreciate and value his family as much as he can, which is something he deeply appreciates. “My father struggled to keep the water running and the electricity on just to turn my attention away from the struggle at a young age and kept a smile on my face, along with my siblings. My parents taught us the value of education and reading at an early age.”

His inspiration comes from the contemporary spoken word poet, Safia Elhillo, a finalist in the 2011 Women of the World Poetry Slam, and also looks up to hip hop artist Johnson Barnes – also known as Blu.

“I remember listening to his album ‘Blu & Exile: Below the Heavens’ and it made me want to write something. Sometimes my ideas come from old lines that I wrote days, weeks, months or even years ago and place them somewhere that makes sense.  I look back in my notes and find that line that was once cheesy and place it somewhere in my poem that fits perfectly. Music is usually my main source.”

Ahmed defines poetry as the ‘language of the heart’ and a way of expressing feelings. He feels that greatest poetry is honest poetry that is well thought out.  As a person who is very observant with his surroundings, it only takes a bus journey or a simple memory that triggers him to write something. “I look back on my own experience in life and realise how beautiful or sad that moment was.”

In terms of performing his poetry to an audience, Ahmed is currently focusing on his studies and will start writing again in the summer. Ahmed studies Architecture at the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) in LA.

He recalls the moment he performed his poetry to a group of friends  for the first time: “I was so nervous. I think I had to pause a few times that I forgot a few lines. I wish I could’ve performed better.” He also performed some of his poetry at events at his University and at an open mic café called ‘Ground Zero.’

Although Ahmed has only performed a few times in front of an audience, he feels that poetry is mostly for himself. His friends always ask him to share his poems with them and he is hoping to start promoting it in the near future by posting it on social media too.

The next question I asked him was kind of daunting. I’ve always felt like this question gives you an insight of what someone wants to change – and for the better.  And also, the answers I get are always interesting and it’s always fun to fantasize right?

If you could change on thing in the world, what would it be?

“The community. I think people try to change things that are way out of their reach. For example, Madonna going to Africa to adopt a black baby. Aren’t there black babies that would like to have a sheltered home in the United States who live in impoverished communities? Why go to Africa and look like a fool trying to “save the world”. If you really cared about adopting an African baby, you could’ve adopted one at home. You look like a fool, Madonna! By changing the way we deal with our communities, that’s how we’ll see real change. So start by changing your community first.”