May 2017 archive

poems

Sorry :

 

Night fell.

The darkness was thin,

like some sleazy dress

that’s been worn and worn.

My soul wears away

as if it were a piece of glass

lying on a sandy beach,

Just waiting to fade away,

 

As if my soul were an abandoned house,

Standing lonesome in the darkness,

Not paying any attention

To the people passing by,

The people With an apologetic look on their faces  

as if to say I feel sorry for you¨

 

 

They say:

 

They say  you are beautiful just the way you are,

They tell you to be yourself,

They tell you not to take it personally,

They tell you to be happy,

They tell you that you are strong and independent,

They tell you that you shouldn’t listen to them,

 

Then they say you are ugly

Then they try and change you

Then they make it personal

Then they make you miserable

Then they take you down

Then they make you listen

 

But you are beautiful

And you try your best to stay true to yourself

And you don’t take it personally

and you are happy

And strong

And independent

And you don’t listen to them

 

 

They try their hardest to make you feel ugly

They try their hardest to change you

They try their hardest to shatter you

They try their hardest to depress you

They try their hardest to destroy you

They try their hardest to make you listen

 

But they don’t get to you because you are a

Strong, independent, beautiful, funny, amazing,

Creative, joyful, kind, loving, adorable, brilliant,

Successful, fun, courageous, powerful, daring, wise,

Respectful, happy, special, delightful, playful, blessed,

exquisite, positive, optimistic, free, wild, confident, peaceful,

Imaginative, wonderful, person to be around and you don’t need them!

 

sunsets:

The sun sets gradually,

spreading its beautifully colored rays

spilling out onto the horizon

like pieces of shattered glass.

There is a tree

standing so deserted

in the gorgeously colored light.

All around i hear a song of the earth..

Its melody so perfect it seems fabricated.

As I explore I realize that I am also isolated,

yet I feel comforted by the solitude,

 

Sorrow:

He came home,

Said nothing,

Walked right past me,

stood there

With a look on his face.

I know that look.

Itś that look you give when

You feel empty,

When you feel like

nothing matters anymore

When you just don’t care anymore

but deep inside

You do.

you care too much.

You just break inside,

Into a million little pieces.

But in the end

it doesn’t really matter.

 

letter to Rifdah

Dear Rifadh,

 Hello my name is Shabanu, and I am 12 years old. I live in Pakistan in the desert. In a year, I am going to marry my cousin murad. My family and I are nomads and move to a different place each time our toba dries up. This is very difficult for me because I have no say in this.  I have a sister named Phulan and she was going to marry our cousin hamir but sadly, he got shot.

 In my country there is a lot of violence from the taliban, and lack in water. There is also a lot of discrimination towards women and girls. We are forced into marriage and relationships, we are sold off to men for money, we are forced into slavery, and we are killed or hurt if we do anything wrong. But there are also some instances where women are not treated as badly as I am describing, but they are rare.

Just like many girls, I was forced into marrying murad. Luckily he is nice and would never do anything to harm me. we have grown up together playing games and things like that. There is no way I could change any of this, but I am just so lucky and grateful that he is kind. Just like how you are being forced to move to yemen and be a housewife, I am also a housewife and have been working since I was very young and have not much of a problem with it.

I have heard that in your country a lot of women give birth around 25 or 29 years of age, that is the same as my country! I have also heard that your country is sunni just like my country. I am very glad that we have so many things in common!

 I wanted to ask you if you are going to do anything about the decisions your father made for you because i have heard a few stories where women rebel against their fathers and husbands and terrible things always happen! I would not like it if someone hurt you just for saying your opinion.  

 I have also heard that you got second place in the international quran memorization competition. I am glad that a girl can win and I am very proud of you. I don’t think I could ever do something like that! Good luck with your father!

                 

                                                            

                                                  From shabanu,

Aunties bragging

Hi, its me again! I know you missed me. Today I wanted to talk about how people don’t acknowledge the fact that I have brought sons into this world! I find it that people don’t treat me superior to my sister even though I have two, not one, but two sons and she has none! And yet they treat us the same! It is outrageous! Today we were at the fire and I was telling her about my sons and how amazing they are. when we were finished with our conversation she turned to Shabanu and Phulan and said  “don’t worry you are better than seven sons”. Can you believe how disrespectful that was! she said it right in front of me! I think that this was so disrespectful and rude, how can two daughters be better than two sons!

Auntie’s frustrations

The day has come, the day when my brother and shabanu leave for the sibi fair. that girl is not true to Allah, she acts like a boy and goes around with her head uncovered! this is outrageous and I have to do something about it! ” a young lady shouldn’t go with her head uncovered. you’re too old to act like a boy” I say to shabanu resting my hands on my hips. I can see that shabanu wants to curse me but I know she doesn’t dare to. the other day I was making a fire and sewing wedding dresses  shabanu’s mother when I pointed out that if she had delivered sons we wouldn’t have to go through such a hassle to make wedding dresses and how I worry about how she’ll spend all her life savings on two weddings. without a son who will take care of her when she is old. then shabanu interrupted me. she is the rudest girl I have ever met!