My Grandmother Washes Her Feet In The Sink Of The Bathroom At Sears

The poem “My Grandmother Washes Her Feet in the Sink of the Bathroom at Sears” by Mohja Kahf shows how two unfamiliar cultures must negotiate and learn to co-exist together. Through this poem, the narrator extends the hope for the two cultures, her grandmother’s and the American culture, to go beyond just being tolerant, but to move closer to each other through understanding and respect. Kahf uses a variety of poetic devices to convey her sadness and aspiration. For example, she uses imagery to paint her grandmother as any other grandmother. Kahf describes that “she does it with great poise, balancing herself with one plump matronly arm against the automated hot-air hand dryer” (7-8). The words “plump matronly arm” evoke an image of soft motherly