publishing poetry only
 


Monday's Poem

Laila Haidarali is a Trinidadian-born historian and writer. Her poetry
is featured in Tok 1: Writing the New Toronto Narrative; Descant; Calabash: A Journal of Caribbean Arts and Letters, Cahoots Magazine and online in Sentinel Poetry and ditch poetry. Sunday Frowns is also the title of her first chapbook, forthcoming by Trainwreck Press.

 




© 2008 Laila Haidarali

sunday frowns


from a child     i wore a frown
the small tempestuous fold
marring the sweetness
mother patted
along plaited blackened hair.

orange patches on maxi-skirt red
filigreed the green
kindly laid for rajahs & ranees
& children     dark & playful.
in sunday dress the sisterly debate:
which brown girl     inserted into the ring

so often then the smile erupted
fracturing the cut
lying too deeply now
between my eyes.