Slowly, at dusk, the curtains are drawn
The show for the day is over
Now the mask can be taken off
Softly, in the dark, the girl in me cries
Reminding my adult body of how hollow she feels
Of how much it stings
Telling her we are not ready for this stage
“Let’s go back to the glamour”
“Where we care less”
“And our worry was for our baby doll and buckets of sand”
Like mother to daughter
She comforts her
This is our life now
The soul is bruised but our body isn’t
We are broken but beautiful
And that is what humans see
Beauty
So, let’s showcase it
When it’s dawn
we conceal this sleep deprived,
Red stained eyes
Put on a smile
And the curtains are raised again
The show continues….
Read – Bond Beyond the Grave – A Poem by Ikobeng Gracious, Botswana
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Yero Fatima Suleiman is a 500-level law student at the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria. She is a freelance writer and has participated in numerous writing competitions such as the climate change prize poetry contest by the Eke Arts and Book Festival in 2022. She is a member of the Creative Writers Club at Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria and is a regular attendee of the Kaduna Arts and Book Festival. She loves reading, and cooking and is passionate about change.
“we’re broken but beautiful
And that’s what human see
Beauty
Let’s show case it”
Such a great piece. Deep and realistic
Thank you 😊