Slaves In A Masquerade

Photo Courtesy: India Today (Facebook)

I fell for the girl in the picture

I saw nothing of her features

But the potential of the future

Only she could candidly capture

I fell in love with the message

Written on her fiery face

The little that peeked thru her veil

With the rage in her sway

The way she carried her frame

Within the cage of her pain.

I fell in love with how she braved

A danger so grave

Marching forward she won't cave

In to threat of the Taliban

Because she is a woman

Who has tasted freedom

Because she is a woman

Rousing the eye of the storm

Because she is a woman scorned

And now she raising hell

With her cardboard upheld

Her future none may readily tell

Cause terrorists trade

Modesty for slaves in a masquerade

Her march on Kabul is beauty

Raiding the belly of the beast

Her presence on the streets

Without male escort service

Is an article of taboo

Yet she calls that bull

She'll march to turn the rule

She'll march until they shoot

Her down

And her blood cries out

From the ground

And her voice rains like clouds

That's why I fell for her

And why my pen bleeds for her.

Akpan