If They Come for Us: A Collection of Poetic Reflections

Christina Poss: This collection of poetry is deep, melancholy, and reflective. This is the first poetry book I’ve read that centers on the Pakistan India partition. The partition was a brutal time in the 1940’s that tore India into two countries based off culture and religion (Pakistani Muslims and Indian Hindus). Every Pakistani family has a partition story, and Fatimah’s poetry is such a beautiful way to process that collective, generational trauma. The partition is such an important world event that every person and culture should learn about and this poetry book is a powerful introduction to beginners.

🏳️‍🌈Since publishing this poetry book, Fatimah now identifies as non-binary and so this was a perfect poetry book club read for pride month. Fatimah has a poem in this collection called “Other body” that specifically talks about gender nonconformity. Thanks to @jenny for choosing this book for our poetry club. It was such a deep and informative read!

🌻Note: For fans of Rupi Kuar (author of the sun and her flowers), this book reminded me of her poetry collections in many ways, including topics and tone.

P.S. The Disney series Ms. Marvel also covers the...

United States on Jul 12, 2023

N. Rogall: I haven’t bought a book of poetry for decades. But after reading one of her poems on Facebook, I ordered this
It is such a stimulating collection. From the heart rending incisive poems about partition to the humorous and painful poems about growing up the collection displays an amazing talent

United Kingdom on Jul 18, 2022

Freda Martin: The poetry in this book helps me to understand the courage of those who are so discounted and oppressed. I was inspired by them to act better and do better with others.

United States on Nov 16, 2021

Kat Davis: A very powerful collection of poetry. It doesn't pull any punches and gets to the heart of the matter of belonging, difference, ignorance, displacement, and ostracism. yet there is also love, friendship and family here. Very well expressed and vivid. Great read.

United Kingdom on May 03, 2021

Aayu Bajaj- @paintinbooksAayu Bajaj- @paintinbooks: “Nobody in India will love me
& so I drew them a line”
-Cyril Radcliffe, who drew borders of partitions in less than 40 days without ever previously visiting South Asia.

Honestly, I read this book twice before even sitting down to write this review. The poetry is so deep, powerful and full of emotions that I felt the need to read this book again to feel the emotions which I may have missed the first time.

This debut book of poems by Fatimah Asghar explores the history and difficulties of 1947 partition, the inheritances of violence, struggles of being a brown woman in the USA, vacuum created by loss of parents early in life and explorations of the body. In 100 pages, the book gives you so much to grasp, understand and sink in your soul.

Her poems are deeply moving and intelligently written about the keen observations in her life. I am sure that her poetry will find its new form of saying and will give you a rush of emotions every time you pick up this book.

This book touched my heart. I highly recommend this to poetry lovers.

India on Aug 11, 2020

Spivey: This incredible collection is full of politics and identity and self discovery and highlighting differences, but at the same time invites you to learn about and understand the culture and identity of the poet. Some of these poems absolutely floored me. The first Partition floored me in a very different way than White Lie floored me or My Love for Nature floored me. With every turn of the page there was something unexpected and foreign to me, but also so viscerally familiar I felt as though we were living a mirrored childhood even though the similarities were only in the way it felt remembered. Absolutely amazing collection. I went in not knowing what to expect and left completely amazed at the power behind these words.

United States on Mar 05, 2020

Laura: Fatimah Asghar reißt mit jedem Gedicht mit. Geschichte, Emotionen, Hoffnungen. Wunderschöne Sprache. Jedes Gedicht ganz verschieden, und doch ist ein sehr klarer, sehr gut erkennbarer persönlicher Stil da.

Germany on Jul 26, 2019

Crystal Stone: What I loved about this work is that, as a friend put it, "Fatimah excavates the truth." I felt that as I explored the collection. No one was safe from questioning, not even herself. There were many moments of such beautiful, heartbreaking images exploring the political, personal, and corporeal landscape post-partition. A raw coming-of-age narrative everyone should read--stories that shouldn't be forgotten.

United States on Jun 16, 2019

Chris Cambell: I was a big fan of the concept behind the book and, while I didn't love this book as much as many of my peers, it delivers a really great experience. Plenty to learn from, be intrigued by, and the occasional challenge here and there.

United Kingdom on Dec 05, 2018

S R: Beautifully written, funny and creative with forms (almost every poem tries something new, from mad lib style news stories to a screenplay about the author’s family fleeing Kashmir during Partition). If you’re any minority at all and even remotely interested in history or coming-of-age poems, you’ll enjoy this. I would recommend it to everyone since these are such important conversations which too few people have. Wow that sounds like a bot wrote it... this was just a really good book, okay?

United States on Oct 22, 2018