Meter Monday: "The Saddest Day of Her Life"

by Muneeza Sheikh

Standing on rocks to reach pots she,

Cooks meat that is still raw,

She knew how to read words but

Now she only stares at cleaning labels in awe.

As she crouches to pick broken pieces of glass she,

Remembers her father’s eyes that watered with relief,

Yet tried to memorize her in a wedding dress, so

Loose that it longed for curves to hug.

Guests not much older surrounded her, clapping and singing

Rhymes that she tried to stop from escaping her tongue.

Vivid memories of play rush in her mind

That all happened just yesterday.

When her intruder breaks in her wall and opens a

Door that should be locked years more her,

Body is helplessly fragile and her

Dress does not seem so white anymore.

And only now where she crouches she

pulls a band

On

And

Off

Of her small grimy fingers does she realize that

Gold gleams in the sun and

Glares in the dark of night.