Artwork by Umema Kanwal Hayat
to fear Fate and her Sisters
and Mothers and Daughters
(to suffer to endure to suffer to endure)
to call it love in spite of
a creaking body under fluorescent light
flickering flickering creeping
weeping
to the Nymphs, a sacrificed lamb
to this earth; blood, tears,
trembling corpses, cities wailing
a man trying
a Woman trying harder
(to suffer to endure to suffer to endure)
cross stitched skin
velvet and worn
to rip Yourself open
and watch Your lover mourn
the fallen, the hopeful, the cynical, the forlorn
a split tongue telling two tales;
arms open, off we go
(to suffer to endure to suffer to endure)
all I am is in spite of you
eternally damned, yet so much more
Asra is currently majoring in English at LUMS and writing poetry on Instagram.