Poem:

Perfection

I am a dreamer

Looking for a perfect love in an imperfect world

Dreaming of perfection where there is none.

Only does despair fill my dreamer’s eyes

But life’s imperfections I cannot despise,

For perfection is worn only by God.

Imperfections should not make us blind,

To our growth mechanisms and journeys that wind,

Through tangles and traumas,

And broken mirrors of self

Until the perfect Truth resides within imperfect me

Then in Heaven, the Perfect One I shall see

By Aisha Novokovich

Book review:

If I Should Speak by Umm Zakariyya

As a regular old bibliophil ( a fancy word for ‘booklover’) I am always looking for a good read to take my mind off other stressful events in life; a book that also conveys strong themes and lessons is also a must. One such book is ‘ If I Should Speak’ by Umm Zakariyya, a novel acclaimed as a ‘first of its kind’ written for Muslim Muslim teenagers living in the West. Without giving too much away, the story is about three young university ‘college’ students attending a private American school. Two of the girls are Muslim, while one is not, but end up being roommates and become good friends. The main character is the African-American non-Muslim Tamika who inadvertently finds herself researching Islam for a major religion assignment. While the reader can predictably guess where Tamika is heading as the story unfolds, the real satisfaction lies in interning all the ups and downs of her journey towards finding real peace in amidst the typical temptations of youth, college life and Hollywood-like dreams. Young readers and university students will surely remember this novel as unique and insightful, renewing one’s faith and leaving one with deep, reflecful thoughts on one’s own journey through life (yes, this book did this for me). I say that this novel is a must – read. If you’re crumpled by exams and stress, the holidays will vouch some time. Believe me, this book is worth it. 9/10.

By Aisha Novokovich.