I do not want to date the guy in our neighbourhood For my mother would weary me by her stern looks If she sees me with him or catches a glimpse of us together But the persona he portrays in spite of his tribe Has drawn my heart into a love drive. In my father's house, love is a battle that leaves a girl trodden. My elder sister was fourteen when she was broken, When she became a victim of punctured dreams- Of things that broke her into a shards of shame And left a traceable scar on her memories for years. She wakes up every morning to our neighbours' jeers Of her dark days and withered moments. They reminded mother of her tainted garment. But there is a tender feeling like a candle that lights my eyes Each time I take a fancy of the guy in my heart And if you hear tomorrow that I have gone with him Into a small room that longs for a lover's body, Know that it's not my fault but of things that stir my heart to love.