Before I ever married <br />my mother <br />used to have <br />nightmares. <br />Her fearful screams shook me <br />I would wake her, ask her <br />'What happened?' <br />Blank-eyed she would stare at me. <br />She couldn't remember her dreams. <br /> <br />One day a nightmare woke her <br />but she did not scream <br />She held me tight in silent fear <br />I asked her <br />'What happened?' <br />She opened her eyes and thanked the heavens <br />'I dreamt that you were drowning'. <br />She said, <br />'And I jumped into the river to save you'. <br /> <br />That night she lightning <br />killed our buffalo and my fiance. <br /> <br />Then one night my mother slept <br />And I stayed up <br />Watching her open and shut her fist <br />She was trying to hold on to something <br />Failing, and willing herself to hold on again. <br /> <br />I woke her <br />But she refused to tell me her dream. <br /> <br />Since that day <br />I have not slept soundly. <br />I moved to the other courtyard. <br /> <br />Now I and my mother both scream <br />through our nightmares. <br /> <br />And if someone asks us <br />we just tell them <br />we can´t remember our dreams. <br /> <br /> <br />[Translated from urdu to english by Rukhsana Ahmed]<br /><br />Kishwar Naheed<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/a-palace-of-wax/
