Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Painting

Painting



The palm of her hand slides across my back
painting color into a faded world.

Her eyes watch the waves of my body beneath her sway
awakening the hope of dreams long buried.

Her hand pushes down onto warm moist skin
infusing love and now, now and love.

Her cheek against mine moves soft, lost
unfolding her mystery…
I smile in the space of breath between us…
          weaving us together...
                    my eyes opening ….slowly….discovering…her….




By Micaela Kaibni Raen

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

On being fearless




Many people ask me if I am afraid of the public's reaction to my work, being lesbian, a mother, Arab-American, speaking out about the plight of Palestinian children...and more. The truth is that I have to believe that I am "me" for a reason and that reason is something of value to the world. Any act that can both integrate the fragmented pieces of myself and simultaneously empower and educate others is irresistible to me because that is the path that has unfolded in front of me. I must trust that path...that is my destiny. 


In an interview with NPR in 2013, internationally acclaimed author Manil Suri was asked about how he prepares to write a character like Jaz (the character is very sexual male who is also gay and Muslim) and whether he worries about backlash. Suri replied, "I sort of think — and this is something that is true of all novelists, hopefully — that writers have to be somewhat fearless."


Hearing this inspired me because I feel like, to walk on my authentic path, I will have to be fearless...have to be fearless over and over and over again.


                          ______________________________________________

["Background note - Manil Suri's new novel, The City of Devi, opens with India and Pakistan on the verge of nuclear war. India is split by factional violence between Hindus and Muslims.... vigilantes settle scores, and terrorists set off dirty bombs around the country as Mumbai boils over with fear and fury. And if that's not enough, it's also a sex comedy. "]        http://m.npr.org/news/Books/170585603


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Read the longer article available online at Tagg Magazine.






Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Shore





by Micaela Kaibni Raen
April 2014

Sunday, April 6, 2014

The Latest in Tagg Magazine



Please check out some of my recent articles in Tagg Magazine

Here are the direct links…

"Waves of Change: A Personal Reflection on HIV/AIDS"

"HAUTEBUTCH: What butches are talking about"

Friday, January 24, 2014

Waves of Change


Waves of Change: A Personal Reflection on HIV/AIDS
 
I just finished a personal reflection essay talking about how HIV/AIDS has affected my life and my activism over the years. You can read it in Tagg Magazine by clicking the link below. It was emotional to write about this subject but worth it in the end. I am very proud this work. Let me know what you think.
 
 

Poetry on YouTube

 Listen to "pulling us together as one ..." on YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyAi3WRDViI









Listen to "Breathe Her In" on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zovR_rzzbWQ








Listen to "Diaspora Winds" on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu9nO45Bzus








Also visit my Poetry page, now featuring the poem "pulling us together as one ..." and other poetry additions.

http://micaelakaibniraen.blogspot.com/p/poetry.html