Parting the Veil

Poem and photo by S M Chen, posted 4-28-2016 by D Kovacs

Afghan woman, Kandahar, 1960s. Taken by S M Chen.

Afghan woman, Kandahar, 1960s. Taken by S M Chen.

What is it lies behind the eyes?

What could it be she’s thinking of?

Might it be children? Perhaps love?

Or maybe truth, and maybe lies.

What hopes and dreams within her lie?

What music in her may be found?

In her did they find fertile ground

Or did they go there just to die?

Her look takes in so many things.

What is it that she’s searching for?

Perhaps (or not) she seeks for more

Or is content with what life brings.

What thoughts run through the mind of her –

This woman from an ancient land?

This harsh forbidding land of sand

Some have tried but none could conquer.

It may be that she’s past her prime;

I cannot guess her age in years.

She’s lived a life of fear and tears;

They make one old before one’s time.

The veil enshrouds identity,

But those who hide behind a veil

Hide but awhile, to no avail;

Time grinds to dust what some might see.

She gazes out, but I gaze in

Beyond the veil, the face, the eyes.

It comes to me as no surprise

(And that is why I sympathize):

I find a place where I have been.

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Comments: 2

DUANE and Eunie bietz
02 May 2016 at 9:16 am

Wonderful Sammy. We saw Phillip on Sat night in TN. EUNICE saw Helen on the office last week! Your family influences us all the time!

DUANE and Eunie
Elaine Nelson
02 May 2016 at 10:40 am

Beautiful poem describing the plight of half of this world’s females. Nat Geo has shown pictures of the barely teen brides forced into marriage, usually to older men and a lifetime of pregnancy, ignorance, and subordination. In God’s name, what have we done to these young girls who will be old before their time? This is the curse of patriarchy since time began.

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