The Girl in a Black Cloak

War against early child marriage

It was in the early
Hours of the day
When I saw her
Sleeping in the gutters
With her three months son

Everyone knows her story
The widow in agony
She was a girl of sixteen
Beautiful, she was
Dressed in a black cloak

This all started
When she was betrayed
By her father
Who sold her to an aged man
For marriage

The man was in his late 70s
All he does was marry young girls
To satisfy his lustful desire
These girls were given to him
Because they lack money

It was in the early hours in the morning
She was in the kitchen cooking
When the man came to see her father
They were discussing outside
The man left and promise to come back

After three days of his visit
Her father made her sit
He spoke to her in a nice tune
My daughter, you are my only child
I want the best for you

You was looking at him
Expecting more from him
You know you are a beautiful girl
And ripe for marriage
I have found someone for you

She was disappointed
That's not what she expected
All she thought of was he education
She wants to be a doctor
She was the best in her class

No father, I won't marry him
She cried onto him
I want to finish my education
And be doctor
Earn money to take care of you

He laughed at her
He said to her
Forget education
You are a girl
You should think of the kitchen

Her eyes
Was bleeding tears
She could not believe this
Her father had promised
To further her education

You must get ready
Before the light of the day
You husband will be coming tomorrow
You will be going with him
To be his wife

A bomb had just landed
This had destroyed all she had dreamed
All she could see
Was a grandfather
To be her husband

Sleep, could not seduce her
The once joyful heart in her
Was bleeding in pain
What will she do
She thought

Before the first crow
The old man in his shadow
Escorted with friends
They greeted her father
As they make decision on her

The marriage was done
She has gone
Gone to her husband house
It was her first night
She was afraid

They were in a room
She feels her doom
She try to resist him
Don't refuse me
My lustful right he said

It was three months
She notices some changes
She was pregnant for him
She went to tell him
He was rage

He treated her like a slave
Even in the condition, he made
The maltreated her
Her felt hell on earth
But, she had no option

One day, in the mid-night
She woke up full of thought
She was not to live like this
She thought of solution
And decided to runaway

She ran away to a far distance
To place where no have a chance
To find her
There she live
In the gutters of the street

Should our daughters
Live like this
Should we the parent
Sell their hope and dreams
No, we should not

Our daughters
Are source of joy to us
Let not sell them
To early child marriage
Let give them their freedom
The freedom they deserve

Reviews

[Scott Mou]

For a poem, it's a little long, but I like it. the story you tell is fascinating.

[Sami Khalil]

You write splendidly bro...:)................