A Poem
Such a Long Joyous Occasion
“Nifrah beek” is an Arabic phrase meaning, loosely,
“To rejoice for you.” Muttered most often by aunties
And uncles presiding over your cousins’ weddings.
Though, it often tends to mean much more as, teary-eyed,
The line is directed at the yet to graduate,
The unmarried, and the consummately childless.
It really means “Hurry up, already! We are all
Waiting to disapprove and cast new judgments.”
So, you smile, weakly, give a big hug, and sputter,
With a broken accent, “God-willing—Inshallah.”
All kind of charming, until about the thirteenth time.
::grin::