The Wardrobe’s Best Dressed: Othered by Seher Hashmi

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content warning for child sexual violence

On Behalf of Asifa

A Kashmiri child victim of gangrape and murder.

When I lay ravished 
Under frigid skies
Overcast with knobbly vultures
Wielding mic, cameras 
Swooping-ready scavengers
Don't let them rip 
The lasts of my tattered shirt, Maa
When my coffined bed is brought 
Your arms wrap and rub 
Snuggle and wriggle 
Around its frosty legs 
Sending warmth of love 
All in vain!
Don't give away my baby-talk tales
Every morning show, podcast
To become the hot topic on sale, Maa
When I am no longer in sight 
Yet visit you day in day out 
Flickering in your eyes like 
Maimed image on glitched device
Wringing your shrunken heart 
Fast and tight, 
Don't let them undo the back 
Of my mangled mind, Maa!
When no one but you cherish my 
Ragdoll, school badge with broken rims
Khaki satchel stuffed with unread 
Cinderella and Rapunzel 
A blunt pencil tip
Wailing to be sharpened
Sharpener to be emptied 
Eraser to be cleaned 
Stark white pages 
Screaming to be scribbled 
Maa, don't allow them to 
Change their DPs to my keepsakes
Maa, don't let my living nightmare be 
A rapidly-trending hashtag 
When morning stumbles writhing 
On my tampered bed 
And evening lingers wailing 
Horror of what can't be said
Don't let our joint mourning 
Be on air Maa
Just....stay put Maa!
I was doomed to live
Let my death not be damned 
At least, for once
Let me rest in eternal peace, Maa!

Note: Copies of Othered may be purchased from Sanjh Publications Pakistan. As very small press, they don’t have a website; orders can be placed via WhatsApp at +92-331-4686276.

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