At the tender age of fourteen <br />She was summoned to appear before <br />The senior women of the clan <br />All dressed in their traditional long cloaks <br />With only their faces exposed <br />She approached them in fear <br />Afraid of what she might have to hear <br />But, they in one voice without faltering <br />Did solemnly declare that no longer <br />Could she walk around freely <br />She now needed observe the social taboos <br />Whenever she ventured outdoors <br />She would have to cover her head <br />With her late mother’s long veil <br />That they so graciously presented to her <br />It was made of satin and had what looked like <br />Embroidered mesh on one side <br />They declared that as the senior women <br />It was their duty to initiate her <br />Into the accepted tenets of clan behavior <br />She had reached the age of puberty <br />And like all good women in the community <br />She would have to follow the rules <br />No more kicking footballs outside school <br />No more talking to strange boys <br />She needed to hide herself under the veil <br />Which they carefully draped around her head <br />The only light she could see was through <br />The mesh that covered her face <br />At home she could still move around <br />With her face exposed <br />On hearing the stringent code of conduct <br />She cringed but spoke out aloud <br />That she was a modern young woman <br />She was educated <br />Why should she be forced to follow <br />Archaic rules framed by some old fashioned men <br />Just to show their power over women <br />The elders stared back in shock <br />No one had ever dared to raise such questions <br />And then they all spoke out in unison <br />Child –we women have no right to talk of freedom <br />That is the way it was and that is the way it will be <br />There are no exceptions not for you and not for me<br /><br />Sandra Martyres<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-veil-2/
