A poetic memoir that offers comfort, community, and belonging through stories of love, loss, pain, and rebirth. "I want to share the stories I kept silent, in the hope that I and those who read my book will feel freer from me doing so."
"Songs" are the stories, poems, and prayers shared with a community. They include the lived experiences of those both older and younger than you, that help you grow and learn to be more yourself, celebrate your individuality, and--above all--realize that you are not alone on your journey.
The daughter of Pakistani-Muslim immigrants who moved to South Texas to give their daughter a better life, Sara Surani explores universal feelings and experiences through poetry, prose, memoir-style writing, and vignettes inspired by her work with women and girls across the globe. Each chapter uses color to evoke a feeling:
- Violet: the gut punch of loss
- Indigo: a slow, lonely grief
- Blue: anxiety, fear, and uncertainty
- Green: when spring returns to you
- Yellow: the first ray of sun on snow, a thawing
- Orange: a warm cup of tea, hope
- Red: fire, rebirth, an inner spark
So often we are told that the core of spiritual development is "inner work," but this book is about all that we share and conjures a deep sense of belonging--one that is needed now, more than ever.
