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CRACKED PORCELAIN

OniZay

April 2020

My sister, she’s our ada ada

The light of our family

A gem in every eye

The visitors, they love the way

She smiles and she speaks and she curtsies

A pretty little bird singing a pretty little tune

Doing the prettiest little dance

They do not see her piercings in places only her men can see.


My sister, she’s our ada ada

She and our mother

They say they are the best of friends

“She’s a good girl like I was at her age”

“I couldn’t have asked for a better daughter oh”

My sister, she hides in the bathroom to smoke cigarettes

And masks the smell

With a bottle of perfume mother got us.


My sister, she’s our ada ada

Our father, 

He didn’t grow up with much affection

But he calls us by the sweetest endearments

And he gives the best forehead kisses

My sister, she loves a rough tumble with boys who are nothing like our father

I hear her scream and moan, and it sounds like sin.


My sister, she’s our ada ada

The light of our family; a gem in every eye

Mother’s best friend, father’s sweet angel

I’m the only one who sees the china doll crack

She pulls a bottle of vodka from her hiding place,

Puts a finger to her lips, “Shhh”

Takes a long sip and says,

“Never forget – perfection is overrated and appearances can be deceiving, baby girl”.


Mariam “OniZay” Atta is a lawyer, photographer, producer, spoken word artist, creative director, stylist, fashion illustrator, designer, and mental health advocate amongst many other things, who believes in the limitlessness of the human heart, mind and spirit. She can be found on twitter and Instagram @OniZay, on her blog thehipsavvy.wordpress.com and her soundcloud soundcloud.com/onizay.

OniZay

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