"Give It Time" by Zahura Akter
Happy December! I hope you are enjoying the holiday season! This month’s theme is Natural Beauty and so the poets for this months each show us the various ways we can look at beauty. The last poet, Zahura Akter’s work encourages us to see ourselves as beautiful just the way we are even as we find other beautiful. Enjoy!
Give It Time
More than once, I said I wished I looked like her,
and so did others.
But never once I heard her wish that.
We were always compared by others.
As if me doing was not enough.
They will ask.
"Is she your daughter?”
As if something is wrong with me, even though,
mother and I are night and day difference.
Ma would smile genuinely and with pride would answer,
"Yes! she is my daughter.
She is a builder, while I run at the first sign of trouble.
She remembers names and places, while I don't.
She makes one feel important, yet I don't bother.
She holds the traditional by wearing a sari, but me, in boots and jeans.
She speaks softly, yet with authority, while I just yell.
She takes her time to explain, but I lose patience.
She shares her thoughts, while I hide them between the pages.
She is a perfectionist from cutting to cooking. As for me, forget it.
I had have heard tales of her beauty from my father to many others.
Fair as lily with perfect runaway model body,
along with silky hair like raven's wings.
Eyes were soft and full with kindness.
Lips spoke volumes of truth with a pure heart.
As for me, like I said at the beginning—we are night and day differences.
As I was growing up, I never could answer.
"Is that your mother?"
Back then I didn't understand, but now I know it is okay to be different.
SO, I answer with same genuine smile and proudness,
"Yes! I'm her daughter."
Zahura Akter grew up in new york city, between Bengali and American cultures. She graduated from the city college of new york with a master’s degree. Her first poetry book is traditional paradox out from Banglar Kobita Prokashon. Her Poetry has appeared in Poetry in Performance, Free Verse, and Harlequin Creature. Her writing is about ordinary people, who have extraordinary qualities within them.