2025 Barrett Winner
3rd Place Mariam Sofyan
And again, my family gathers for a wedding,
voices bright, joy too great to contain.
I would have been excited, too,
if only the bride walking forward wasn’t me.
Unexpected guests, faces glowing,
smiles bloom across the room like scattered petals.
The scent of oud lingers in the air,
thick as the silence pressing against my chest.
Gold embroidery glides beneath my fingertips,
woven softer than my fate.
The mirror watches with unfamiliar eyes,
a bride wrapped in silk, framed in expectation.
Kohl lines my gaze, dark and steady,
but it does not hide what lingers beneath.
Women’s whispers brush against my skin,
Doubting every step I take with heed.
I start to think, was this what I wanted?
Each step holds an unforgettable memory,
It feels so quiet, but it sounds so loud,
now I know what it's like to be the bride.