The Captive Song of a Louding Voice
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| Remember its flight, for the bird is mortal. Forugh Farrokhazad, Iranian poet (1935-1967) |
Each girl has felt loss, grief, abuse, pain, and...fear, which has ignited bold bravery and courage within them despite the heavy lifting of life. So what could their story fuel in us, me, and you? Well, let's keep reading...
Meet Forugh Farrokhzad (Song of a Captive Bird, written by Jasmin Darznik). You may have heard her famous story before. The meaning of her name is brightness. At the book's opening, she's about fourteen years old and living in the capital city of Iran, Tehran. A city filled with white tuberoses, acacia blossoms, and jacaranda trees. Her immediate family consists of her mother (I don't recall her name mentioned in the book) and her father, whom she never knew his first name until many years later; otherwise, he was to be addressed as the "Colonel." or ghorban, which directly translates:
"you to whom I sacrifice myself" (Craazzyy, right?! I know...)
Forugh had a total of seven siblings, but the book only mentions two brothers and her younger sister, Puran. The family also had a nanny, Sanam. Their gatherings and daily meals were spread with many traditional dishes (that I hope someday to try or maybe attempt to make) like; pomegranate stew, barberry rice, sweet saffron custard, chickpea cookies, soft cakes drenched in honey and rosewater, pistachios, green almonds, wild mulberries, figs, sweet lemons, fava beans, and flatbread.
(Okay, on with it, Woman...the people want the tea...just be careful how you spill it...)
Now, don't you love a book that jumps right into the action?! I mean absolutely no holding back. Me too. But unfortunately, the first chapter opens with a fairly uncomfortable clinic trip down to the Bottom of the City, and our girl, Forugh, is dragged there by her mother for a "chastity check-up." And to save the scenery, let's just say...it wasn't pleasant. Forugh wasn't your traditional Iranian girl; she found pleasure in breaking rules and telling stories (which most likely birthed her love for poetry);
"An Iranian daughter is taught to be quiet and meek, but from earliest childhood, I was stubborn, noisy, and brash. A good Iranian daughter should be pious, modest, and tidy; I was impulsive, argumentative, and messy. I thought of myself as no less than my brothers, with wit and daring to match theirs."
Forugh's mother was religious and strongly believed Forugh was plagued by a demon spirit or a jinn, she called it. Her mother hoped to tame this spirit with valerian and opium, and when that didn't work, she punished her with metal whippings to the hands or solitary confinement in the basement.
The Colonel, who always smelled of brilliantine, cologne, and cigars, had a knack for memorizing poems in a way that intrigued Forugh, and she, too, found herself immersed in the creative art; she also loved reading books and newspapers. This curious practice was shunned because it opened a woman's mind in a way many people in her culture believed should be cloistered away. The power and imagination she found in words began to unleash secrets she deeply held...this was her way out of traditional exile and into freedom.
Eventually...Forugh was a part of some prestigious movements, and her poems were published for the whole city to read, making her the talk of the town; she married her alleyway sweetheart, had a baby, and then found herself in very compromising situations due to a wild dissatisfaction and deep desire to break the mold. This led her down a series of unfortunate events. Yet, in the end, she got everything she wanted. Which essentially was the goal, right?
This makes me wonder what can happen when we seek to get everything we desire? When we push ourselves beyond our limits chasing after the heat of our passions and self-pleasures...and then, when we look in the mirror, do we believe it was worth it? Do you think it was worth it for Forugh? I don't know; maybe you'd just have to read the book and find out.
Meet Adunni (The Girl with the Louding Voice, written by Abi Dare). Her name means sweetness. She is fourteen going on fifteen years old, from Nigeria, home of palm oil rice, okra soup, plantain, beans and dodo, fish stew, suya, and akara. Adunni has two brothers, Born-boy and Kayus. Her family is extremely poor, and as we talked about the books that open with a dramatic start, this one also carries that trait. Her Papa is about to marry her off to an old rich man (in his late 60s...) named Morufu so that he can pay the bills and afford to keep their home. Before Adunni's Mama passed away from sickness, her last request was that her daughter not be married off to any man and that she would attend school, and her Papa agreed to uphold and keep this promise...but he did not keep this promise at all.
So just like that, Adunni is uprooted from her life at home and into a new world that will leave her sad, alone, and afraid. She moves into Morufu's home; he already has two other wives with children. She doesn't receive the warmest welcome from one of the wives, but the other one, Khadijah, is loving and caring and looks out for Adunni; they establish a really strong connection in the house. Now, Khadijah is pregnant and hoping to give birth to a baby boy; otherwise, her family back home will stop receiving the benefits of Morufu's money; he's also hoping to get a baby boy out of Adunni.
(To be honest, many parts of these books were hard to read and imagine.) Simply because of the mistreatment and neglect of women at such young ages...think about how much they endured. I know a lot of the content is referenced by the reality of their culture, but it's disheartening and uncomfortable; it makes you want to cry, scream, and throw the book all at once!!!
Okay, breathe. Where was I?... Ah, yes, so eventually, Adunni and Khadijah find an excuse to get out of the house. And they make a trip, and while on this trip, something happens that causes Adunni to run far, far away; she runs as far as Lagos and ends up as a housemaid to a very cruelly rich family.
It's an extreme plot twist, yet Adunni still faces just as much abuse, neglect, and danger as before.
In this process, Adunni doesn't stop using her voice to sing, ask crazy questions, or mispronounce words. She doesn't stop using her beautiful mind to read and learn; she doesn't stop her heart from wanting to do what is right. She remembers her main desire, which is to have a louding voice. Adunni wants to go to school to become a Teacher, and she has been through so much to attempt to get there, and an opportunity presents itself. Throughout the book, Adunni longs for her Mama. But then along comes a woman who smells like coconut oil, butter, and lily and is willing to guide her and help her reach this desired goal for her life. Do you think Adunni wants it bad enough? Or does she lose hope in herself? Are her dreams forgotten? How far does her louding voice travel? I don't know; maybe you'd just have to read the book and find out.
So, there it is. If you have made it this far, God bless you and keep you. Please comment with your innermost thoughts and dialogue, and let me know if you get a hold of these books. I want to know your reactions, and I pray this mini summary and review inspired you somehow.
Peace to you,
The Woman in Writing.
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