Dusky Beauty

By Khayma Balakrishnan

She’s a dusky beauty
Head full of hair, curly
Wild and carefree,
Living her life simply
Keeping her heart happy

She drives her family crazy
They say she is unruly
She is expected to be ready
A man of their choice, she must marry

She asks, what’s the hurry?
They mumble something about biology
She argues there is no chemistry
They tell her not to worry
That’ll be sorted with a baby

They want her to cook curry 
But they forget, although sweet, she is spicy
She walks away, head held high with dignity
Away from those who don’t understand her, the society

Khayma Balakrishnan is from Malaysia. Her work, albeit in English, contains flavours of her native tongue, Tamil, as well as her national language, Bahasa Melayu. She enjoys writing poetry. When she isn’t writing, she is either teaching, reading, or sipping on chai. Her works have been published both in print and online.

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