In the Playground

How high did that swing go
up past the brambles of your mind, that mess
Was your heart as bare as those trees
Did the leaves fall heavy, like my footsteps
crushing the life out of autumn

What brought the winter, Daddy
When did you decide
my three feet worth of innocence
wasn’t good enough

Why did you let go of my hands
Why did you tie them
Why did you take back the crown
that you gave me

Why did you point at the one rose
in a park full of weeds
and tell me that was me
if you only intended to pluck my petals
clip my wings, and assure me
that beautiful little birds
weren’t made for flying

Aicha Dounia is an Irish-Algerian writer living in Wicklow. Born and raised in Dublin, she began writing poetry and short stories as a child to survive the trauma of sexual abuse and a chaotic home. Her work is rooted in truth—often confronting themes of abuse, loss, postnatal depression, and the complicated beauty of motherhood. Aicha studied English at Trinity College Dublin before leaving due to an unplanned pregnancy. She has been published by The Journal and two independent poetry publications. After a few years lost in the fog of early motherhood, Aicha is finding her voice again, writing as a way to heal, fight, and feel whole.