by socrates44San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago
Aug 2013 1,108 Views 11 comments
AISHA
Forced into womanhood at 12
betrayed by those you trusted
abused daily mentally and physically
forced to sleep in the animal shed
Your escape was short-lived
being captured and returned
to your tormentors
In the mountains
the cruel knife passed
on your innocent face
No, Aisha
that is not cold water
in your nose
It is your blood
your nose is gone
and so are your ears
Your tormentors have gone away
and left you alone to die
But you refused to lay down
and die
With your defiant spirit
you crawled down the mountain
to those who cared
and protected you
and helped you to a new life
away from the evil unjust system
you inherited by birth
What was your crime
to be dealt such cruelty?
betrayed by those you trusted
abused daily mentally and physically
forced to sleep in the animal shed
Your escape was short-lived
being captured and returned
to your tormentors
In the mountains
the cruel knife passed
on your innocent face
No, Aisha
that is not cold water
in your nose
It is your blood
your nose is gone
and so are your ears
Your tormentors have gone away
and left you alone to die
But you refused to lay down
and die
With your defiant spirit
you crawled down the mountain
to those who cared
and protected you
and helped you to a new life
away from the evil unjust system
you inherited by birth
What was your crime
to be dealt such cruelty?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Posted: Aug 2013
About this poem:
In a practice known as baad, Aisha's father promised her to a Taliban fighter when she was 12 years old as a compensation for a killing that a member of her family had committed. She was married at 14 and subjected to constant abuse. At 18, she fled the abuse and was caught by the police, jailed and returned to her family. her father returned her to her in-laws. To take revenge on her escape, her father-in-law, husband and three other family members took Aisha to the mountains, cut off her nose and ears and left her to die. She was still alive however, and managed to crawl to her grandfather's house from where her father smuggled her to an American medical facility where she was looked after for ten weeks. Subsequently, she was brought to the US where she under went further treatment.(Poetic Prose)
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Comments (11)
Thank you for your comment. I posted this quite some time ago. I had thought it would receive more comments. I have updated the footnote for those who may not have known the story. Further information can be viewed at:
to be dealt such cruelty?
Mans inhumanity to man, knows no bounds, my heart bleeds, nicely done.
Thank you for your comment.
I also wonder the same thing about the world. It is sad that many times when such cruelty takes place, the innocent and helpless are the target, especially girls. Malala is another similar case. The psychological damage may be even more severe. I admire the courage and determination of these young women who are determined to move on. I wish them all the best for the future.
Thank you for your comment which highlighted the main theme of my piece. It is indeed man's inhumanity to man!
Have a nice day!
Well done on highlighting this
Thank you for your comment. I appreciate it's honesty. It would appear that each culture has it's own reality which determines it's cultural norms. Some may argue that human behaviour in a society should be judged according to it norms. This may seem be a valid claim as you have pointed out. Yet, this incident is so heart-wrenching that it makes one wonder about universal "noble human nature" as professed by some.
"For Mercy has a human heart
Pity, a human face:"
This is part of a quote from William Blake's "Songs of Innocence".
He is probably turning in his grave at incidents like this one.
Thank you for your comment.
This is indeed a very sad episode. One can only try to imagine the terror, pain and suffering experienced by that poor young woman.
I remember viewing one of your poems which highlighted your love for your daughter. I am sure that they feel a similar love for you.
Have a nice day!
Thank you for your comment stating the report by Human Rights Watch. The 87% figure is staggering. As long as those women are denied the opportunity to educate themselves and to improve their position in life, this situation is likely to continue, sad to say.
Have a pleasant day!