Two Poems

Silk or the reason for my madness

here’s the reason for my madness
-chef emeril, food network

The world is changing for me
opening up
unravelling
like the strings of a cocoon
silk
smooth silk
I had tied around myself

covered myself with
like a shell
of bees
and guzzling honey
from my soul
smooth sacred silk
of the wedding shroud
saree silk
sharara silk
wrapping around my throat

like a noose.
smooth and red
lovely and radiant
it lures
me
draws me
to its sheer hues
glittering
like the eye of mephistopheles
resplendent
with the noor on the head of a bride
red smooth sindoor
mingled
with sweat and dirt of the wedding guests
partaking of my fathers feast.
I wait
waiting by the bed
to be taken
home.

bride of allah
I stay
beside the one
who will take me there
smooth sacred and red
in my silk satin gown.

***

Palestine woman

We are the occupied territories.
occupied by
snakes
shoes
israelis
tanks
poles
jews
germans
arabs
priests
boys
ghungats
sindoor
veils
sex
brides

we are the manifest destiny of an ancient land
born again
into the sunlight
but walking
under checkposts
orgasms
burnt alive
at the stake
bonfires
bridal showers
hassled
by incense
burnt before alters of dead gods
priests
consuming us.
setting us aflame
to feed their deity
back dead stone
phallus.

fermented for centuries
we remain
under the thumb
of the soldier
the stengun
of the eternal bride
waiting to be rescued
from her funeral pyre.

-dedicated to lesbians, ‘single’ women and the women of palestine. and somewhat angelina jolie, who dared to be single and pregnant. and bethany mclean, who wrote about the big boys of enron.

***