The New York Times reports:

Child brides in Yemen, ages nine and ten

are forced into marriage by fathers,

living in poverty.

In that same newspaper,

an eight page supplement

showcases the country—

            Yemen is moving forward to

alleviate poverty,

meet the needs of its people and

provide them with basic goods.

Tell that to the girl who

ran to the hospital,

beaten and bleeding.          

A mere one percent

of the Yemeni people

use the internet,

nine percent have a cell phone.

Who would the child brides call?

Will technology help at all?

Horror and pain no words can convey.

Tiny voices are silenced—

yet flags fly today.

            Luxury developments

            will add 15,000 new jobs,

world class restaurants,

a major sports complex…

One lucky ten year old

demands divorce—

a judge grants it,

marriage should not be forced.

The rest of the girls, taken and used,

fear fills their lives, rape and abuse.

I can’t shake the angst,

disgust I can’t hide—

no place to plug in the words

of  young ruined lives.