Research Catalog

Title

The January children / Safia Elhillo ; foreword by Kwame Dawes.

Author

Elhillo, Safia

Publication

Lincoln : University of Nebraska Press, [2017]

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

Dawes, Kwame Senu Neville, 1962-

Description

xviii, 63 pages; 23 cm.

Summary

The January Children depicts displacement and longing while also questioning accepted truths about geography, history, nationhood, and home. The poems mythologize family histories until they break open, using them to explore aspects of Sudan’s history of colonial occupation, dictatorship, and diaspora. Several of the poems speak to the late Egyptian singer Abdelhalim Hafez, who addressed many of his songs to the asmarani—an Arabic term of endearment for a brown-skinned or dark-skinned person. Elhillo explores Arabness and Africanness and the tensions generated by a hyphenated identity in those two worlds.

Series Statement

African poetry book series

Uniform Title

• Poems. Selections
• African poetry book series

Alternative Title

Poems.

Subject

• Refugees > Poetry
• Sudan > Poetry
• Sudan

Genre/Form

• Poetry
• Poetry.
• American poetry – African American women authors.
• Sudanese poetry (English) – Women authors.

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references.

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

Asmarani makes prayer -- VVocabulary -- Sudan Today. Nairobi: University of Africa, 1971. Print -- To make use of water -- [Did our mothers invent loneliness or ...] -- While being escorted from the abdelhalim hafez concert -- Application for the position of abdelhalim hafez's girl -- Abdelhalim hafez asks for references -- Talking with an accent about home -- Origin stories -- A brief history of silence -- The last time marvin gaye was heard in the sudan -- First interview for the position of abdelhalim hafez's girl -- The lovers -- Talking with an accent about home -- First adornment -- Callback interview for the position of abdelhalim hafez's girl -- Bride price -- Old wives' tales -- Date night with abdelhalim hafez -- First quarantine with abdelhalim hafez -- Self-portrait with dirty hair -- Watching arab idol with abdelhalim hafez -- Self-portrait with the question of race -- Second date -- Abdelhalim hafez wants to see other people -- Red moon night -- Self-portrait with yellow dress -- Others -- Alternate ending -- [& What is a country but the drawing ...] -- Late-night phone call with abdelhalim hafez -- Republic of the sudan / ministry of interior / passport & immigration general directorate / alien from sudanese origin passcard -- Talking with an accent about home -- Talking with an accent about home (second take) -- Second quarantine with abdelhalim hafez -- Portrait with asylum -- Talking to boys about abdelhalim hafez at parties -- Biopic containing lies about abdelhalim hafez -- Asmarani does psychogeography -- Why abdelhalim -- Self-portrait with lake nasser -- Abdelhalim hafez asks who the sudanese are -- The part i keep forgetting -- Talking with an accent about home (reprise) -- Third quarantine with abdelhalim hafez -- Final interview for the position of abdelhalim hafez's girl -- Self-portrait as abdelhalim hafez's girl -- Portrait with abdelhalim hafez with the question of race -- Lovers' quarrel with abdelhalim hafez -- Portrait of abdelhalim hafez as orpheus.

ISBN

• 9780803295988
• 0803295987

LCCN

^^2016034812

OCLC

• 958223849
• SCSB-12545917

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library