Il Gabbiano Poem by nadia abduljabbar

One hour before sunset,
I take my main meal
In front of the red sea,
At least twice to four
Times a month,
In IL- Gabbiano Italian Restaurant;
It is my favourite`.
The meal is neither DINNER,
Nor LUNCH;
It is something in between.
Stubborn people design for
Their special taste colours,
Clothes, furniture
And even time of meals.

As I was given the menu,
A thin tall girl
Entered together with
Her mother.
Her accent in English
Was good.
The way she discussed things
Shows she has
Good mentality
I asked if I
Ever taught her,
She said may be but I
Was kicked from
Filthy university,
One semester before
Graduation,
(Her mother, who is from
A good family,
Tried hard to hush
Her, but in vain) ,

She continued:
Though I was an ‘A’ student,
But the Arabic language
Teacher of course 101
Decided I should not
Graduate;
And so my file was closed.

I lost my future;
no Certificate,
No work, no money.

One day a business man
Will appreciate my ability
And ask me to work,
You see most millionaires
Have no certificates,
In my heart I said and most
Who have certificates are
Shallow,


Tears stopped in my
CHEST and THROAT before my eyes,
I never ask men for aid
Or money;
(Including father who begged me
To ask him but I never did.
And when I was married,
I never ask for a penny;

It seems it is a complex case,
May be I saw a brother in law
Shouting at a sister for asking money
.. maybe that happened when
I was very young) .

But now I wish I were married
To a rich man who has companies,
And certainly
I would ask him to help this
Girl and ask her to work
In one of his companies.

Jeddah,
6 April 2013