Walls

Built walls around me

I can't see the sky

My body is his slave

But my soul flies high

He tried to cage me in the name of love. Religion never mattered to me, for me love was everything. Reyhan was my colleague. He was handsome, liberal. We became friends, then started dating but he never raised eyebrows over my jeans and skirts. He told me he loves my independent spirit. Finally, we got married and I changed my name from Anita to Ayesha as I was fully soaked in the wine of love.

He asked me to wear burkha and I said no, as it's so suffocating for me.

I left my job, became a full-time housewife. He started checking my phone, seeing me with suspicion whenever I come across with men.

He puts curtains on all the windows, forced me to wear burkha and slapped me when I argued, talked about being caged. He laughed loudly, whispered in my ear, I was a challenge for him. So he tamed my free spirit in the name of love.

I also smiled inside my burkha, can cage my body, not my soul.