In The Queen of The West by Saara Ghani, a woman stands between cultures—torn between beauty and belonging, her voice both foreign and entirely her own. 📬 Subscribe to Written Tales for new poems and stories.
A Western queen
In an Eastern palace,
They’ve mistaken you
For an empty canvas.
They give you their speech
And make you repeat,
Forgetting that yours
Is already complete.
Your skin is flawless
But a “little too light,”
Your wedding dress — perfect
Except that it’s white.
Your eyes, they glimmer,
Although a bit “too green.”
But I think there prettier
Than any I’ve seen.
You remember the snow
And pretend you forgot,
You miss where it’s cold
But you’re trapped where it’s hot.
You never complain
You always just smile —
Easily convinced
That you’re not worth the while.
But every perfection
That isn’t “just so,”
Every expectation
You had to let go,
And all of the times
That you thought you were wrong,
Were times when we
Should have followed along.
You’ve trekked on our path
And tried not to falter,
But we’re standing in sand
While you’re walking on water.
So please do forgive us
If we ever made fun,
Of the differences that make you
The most beautiful one.
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✍️ About the Authors
Saara Ghani is a biracial poet and emerging writer whose work explores feminist themes and the experiences of women within Eastern and cross-cultural traditions.
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