The lips you so softly kissed
You now kiss with fists
Verbally abuse me with belligerent lists
Misogynistic twists
The louder I scream the harder you hit
I am trying to silence my soul that is carved by your fist
This rage and passion I missed
That won my soul
That raging love that made us whole
Now grips my neck and never releases
It never ceases
We are like the moon and the sun
And every time we eclipse…you burn me to pieces
Broken, I wonder
When did your promises decide to play hide and seek
I am tired and weak
Silenced every time I desire to speak
I am drowning in your anger
Screaming back at the shore
My back hits the door
As you return back for more
Like Achilles strung on war
And I am Troy
That you so desperately deem to destroy
Blood for lipstick
A fashionable wreck
I wear the marks of your grip around my neck
As my back kisses the wall, the ground is next
I fall like the pink of our blossom trees
Eyes crying softened pleas
I fall like when we first met
I fall like the autumn leaves
My hands are shaking
My dreams are aching
At the infinity your punishment is taking
Rivers flow from my pain…
The same colour as su-icide
Your knuckles and my ribs do-collide
I throw my arms out trying to create a new-divide
Abused I cried, confused of why
But still consumed by pride
Pots, pans and promises
That you threw aside
Dragging me by the hair on my head
To tear your roses’ petals
And there I bled
A beautiful painter you are…
My canvas is black, blue and red
An enthused writer, Abdullah Shariff is a distinguished performing artist and one third of the popular world music group Fursan. The versatile writer has previously been shortlisted for Birmingham’s Poet Laureate post, Muslim Writer’s short story award and has been published by Young Writers. Amongst working with young people and children, he works with many charities and youth initiatives as a performer, workshop facilitator and keynote speaker. As an artist Abdullah regularly conducts arts workshops in schools and communities while continuing to travel, tour and perform across world.