My Love Is One and Only
The air was exotically perfumed with jasmine and cloves. The Fayoum, a lush paradise, was alive with merchants trying to sell their Egyptian cotton, women indulging themselves in oils from the East, and children running aimlessly amidst the crowds. But high up in the towers of the Sobekneferu’s palace, all was silent. Sobekneferu, the Egyptian queen and rare female Pharaoh, was known for her bold behavior and unsurpassable beauty, which made her desired by many men. Men could not resist the bronze glow of her smooth skin, the thickness of her black silk hair, the ampleness of her bosom, and her wide, almond eyes perfectly placed above a pair of luscious, lotus lips. Even though she was constantly surrounded by gold and luxury, Sobekneferu was still unhappy. She longingly stared from her windows at the action taking place beneath her and knew she had to leave the palace walls…again.
Though Sobekneferu promised her best friend and lady-in-waiting, Banafrit, that she would never use the secret passage made by Sobekneferu and Banafrit’s fathers ever again, Sobekneferu had no choice. It was as if she had no control over her body; it was merely doing as it pleased. Sobekneferu slipped into the secret passage and ran until she reached the streets of the city. Before stepping out, she wrapped her cloth cloak tightly around her face to ensure protection of her identity. Though Sobekneferu is the queen, she is still a woman. So if she were ever discovered roaming the streets of the Fayoum, she would face great guilt and shame from the royal advisors. Sobekneferu explored every inch of the city, stopping at each herbs and spices vendor for Sobekneferu loved spices since she was a little girl. Whenever her father gave her herbs and spices to play with, she would pretend she were an Egyptian sorceress, concocting magical potions and spells.
As the red, Egyptian sun crossed the sky, Sobekneferu found herself near the outskirts of the Fayoum. Kicking a pebble along the dirt road, Sobekneferu smelt a change in the air. She quickly looked up and realized she had come across a spacious garden of herbs. Spotting a quaint home nearby, Sobekneferu quickened her pace and lightly knocked on the door. As the door opened, she once again concealed most of her face and came face-to-face with a young man her age named, Amenemhat. He and Sobekneferu spoke to great lengths about the herbs he grew and how he turned them into colorful spices. Though Amenemhat was a simple man, his quiet, confident demeanor and deep, dark eyes made him mysteriously handsome, a mysterious handsomeness which did not go unnoticed by Sobekneferu. Unconsciously letting the cloak fall away from her, Sobekneferu’s identity and overwhelming beauty were revealed. Amenemhat paused in mid sentence and just stared at the goddess in front of him. Thinking that he had discovered her identity, Sobekneferu headed for the door. But instead of bowing down to her as required by citizens when in the presence of the queen, Amenemhat stammered, “You’re the girl in my dreams.” It was at that moment Sobekneferu realized Amenemhat had no idea who she was. Since Amenemhat lived on the outskirts of the city, he had never seen the queen and basically had no knowledge of her whatsoever. Realizing this, Sobekneferu went back to Amenemhat’s side and asked about the dream of his. Amenemhat told the Eqyptian queen that once he turned seventeen, the age a boy becomes a young man, he began to have dreams of this one girl, Sobekneferu. After many nights of this recurring dream, Amenemhat immortalized his love for this girl by writing a poem and dedicating it to her:
My Love is One and Only
My love is one and only, without peer,
lovely above all Egypt’s lovely girls.
On the horizon of my seeing,
see her, rising,
Glistening goddess of the sunrise star
bright in the forehead of a lucky year.
So there she stands, epitome
of shining, shedding light,
Her eyebrows, gleaming darkly, marking
eyes which dance and wander
Sweet are those lips, which chatter
(but never a word too much),
And the line of the long neck lovely, dropping
(since song’s notes slide that way)
To young breasts firm in the bouncing light
which shimmers that blueshadowed sidefall of hair.
And slim are those arms, overtoned with gold,
those fingers which touch like a brush of lotus.
And (ah) how the curve of her back slips gently
by a whisper of waist to god’s plenty below.
(Such thighs as hers pass knowledge
of loveliness known in the old days.)
Dressed in the perfect flesh of woman
(heart would run captive to such slim arms),
she ladies it over the earth,
Schooling the neck of each schoolboy male
to swing on a swivel to see her move.
(He who could hold that body tight
would know at last
perfection of delight—
Best of the bullyboys,
first among lovers.)
Look you, all men, at that golden going,
like Our Lady of Love,
without peer.
Since then, Amenemhat has never loved another girl but that girl in his dreams, hoping to find her one day.
Sobekneferu was for the first time, breathless. She stared into Amenemhat’s deep, dark eyes which danced in the light of the setting sun and danced her emptiness away. Lying in one another’s arms in the field of herbs, they witnessed the moon chase the sun into the hills, creating a diamond splattered sky. As Sobekneferu lightly caressed Amenemhat’s cheek with her own, she sweetly whispered, “You are my sweetest downfall.” Sobekneferu forgot about everything: her royal position, her responsibilities, and most importantly, the chief law which forbade any member of the royal family to marry a commoner. She was finally happy. But as the night drew on, Sobekneferu began to remember who she was in society and became fully aware of the excruciating consequences: Amenemhat would instantly be killed, and she would be forced to live a life of suffering without him. Panic stricken, Sobekneferu shook Amenemhat awake and revealed to him everything. With heavy hearts, Sobekneferu and Amenemhat knew they had no way out. Even if they fled Egypt, they would never be able to live the carefree life they so desired. Death was better than living without one another.
As they clenched their daggers, they swore their love for each other and vowed to meet in the next life. Then under the pale light of the moon, they freed their souls, becoming zephyrs of the night.
I Believe...
Women are oppressed creatures in the Taliban world. Stripping women of their employment prospects, forcing women to wear chadris, and only allowing women to venture outside the household if they are accompanied by a male relative provide a convincing argument for our hatred of the Taliban. From the viewpoint of a supporter of human rights, civil liberties, and a society which treats its entire people with the dignity they deserve, I believe the Taliban is a mere mockery of society and civilization.
Denying women access to employment further promotes inequality and only hinders the welfare of the society. Preventing women from working economically impedes society, causes shortages in services, and most importantly, wastes potential assistance. As highlighted in My Forbidden Face, Latifa’s mother was unable to accessibly treat women with gynecological problems and utilize her innate medical tact. As a result, many women died from this lack of medical treatment. If women were allowed to work, they’d be capable of offering a multitude of vital services to the people, triggering forward progression and social stability. Like Latifa’s mother, who was just as skilled and capable as a male doctor, was forced to discontinue her profession, which is an utter waste to society. Instead of providing care to the people, she is wasting away along with her talent. How can more available medical help hinder society?
The Taliban, forcing women to wear chadris when outside the household, provides another convincing argument to further spur our hatred of the Taliban. Chadris, black veils worn to cover the face, suffocate and hide women from the world. Since every woman must wear a chadri, society becomes anonymous and practically identical. With each chadri worn, women continuously lose their identity and presence in society. Women basically wander the streets faceless and nameless as if they no longer exist. They are black ghosts, shadows tracing the dirt roads. It’s as if the Taliban is trying to erase women from society. They callously strip women of their rights and liberties they are entitled to and granted at birth. A third reason that further enflames out hatred of the Taliban is, when outside the household, women must be accompanied by a male relative. Why must a woman need a male chaperone? Are women so physically and mentally incapable of fending and thinking for themselves? The Taliban, with their silly laws, portray women as docile, subservient creatures unsuited for civilization. Though some may argue that the Taliban is thinking of women’s safety by making it mandatory for a male guardian to be with the women outside the home, I can’t help but disagree. At times it is safer when a male figure is present, but women must learn to fend for themselves and demonstrate their true independence. Like Susan B. Anthony and Olympia de Gouges, the Middle Eastern women must remember the fight for equality.
Unfortunately, the Taliban influence still lingers in the rural areas of the Middle East, making women’s rights a distant ideal. For example, the Pakistani women living in the countryside must adhere to the traditional, Taliban practices, such as donning a chadri and revering the male figure. They dwell in a world based on female subservience. It’s a pity to hear that even now, in the 21st century, women are still deprived of their civil rights.
I believe the oppression of women in the Middle East is an infraction of human rights and moral principles. Utilizing force to instill fear in the people, the Taliban are barbaric and inhuman. Preventing women from working, enforcing the use of the chadri, and making male accompaniment mandatory for women when outside the household provide convincing arguments for our hatred of the Taliban. I believe that any group of people whose goal is to rid society of equality, justice, and liberty, all aspects of modern civilization, does not deserve to exist in this world. Our natural rights as individuals are the most precious gifts given us.
Saturday, March 3, 2007
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