Pretty Face Poem by nadia abduljabbar

So she heard
A part of a gossip
Between a niece
And a half jealous sibling
That he likes her face.
Their word were so
Twisted so that
She could not figure out
What was exactly
Said and how.

She asked about him:
Educated or not,
Boozer or not,
Smoker or not,
Praises came running.

So said she to herself
So what if he likes the face,
Everybody likes a pretty face,
Let’s see if he likes
The brain as well,
So she sent the intellectual
Message, and the punishment
Was the gossip.

Fear grasped her for moments,
Then she decided to play
With the ignorant women.

So she commented on
Their gossip laughingly
Saying:
I ask any man who shows
Admiration to read my poesy,
To frighten him, if he is not
An equal mate,
And if he is a brave one
He will declare his love before
Everybody according to God’s law,
And will say he wants
Himself to be mine,
And wants me to be his
With my good qualities
As well as shortcomings,
He will bend with awe
To God for such a gift.

And if he is a coward,
Or just not brave enough
For a brave WOMAN
LIKE ME,
He will do nothing
To hold me to his chest;
Certainly he will do nothing.

Jeddah,

4 April 2013