প্রবাসী মেলবন্ধনে Arslan Bayir (Turkey)

THE WOMAN AND HER HAIR

You promised when you left

You weren’t going to cut your hair

It would fall off your shoulders

Like a weeping willow,

It would cover your waist

It would be blown in the wind, strand by strand

Then

It would hide our secrets

And it would be my pillow

In my dreams.

What happened

To your grape-black hair, woman?

You promised

You wouldn’t dye your braided hair

Did you afraid of growing old?

As your temples turn gray

You would say autumn has come,

You would only apply henna to your hair

What happened to your hair, woman?

Did your eyes lie?

Are you afraid of dark circles under your eyes

And of wrinkles?

But you would be just as beautiful anyway

If you hadn’t cut your earthy black hair

It would cover your cheek dimples

When you smile.

Was it too difficult for you

To compete against time?

Is a day worth a month?

There were months you were waiting for

Hopefully.

I knew your pride, but I would ask you

To keep every strand of hair.

Year turns into months, months into days

A way it would be found,

I would run with the wind

With the clouds

And I would rain over you

I would fall out of your hair

To the exhausted lands

I would kiss your seed

Just like the ground kisses it,

Exactly the same.