The Red Dress of Redemption

By: Akifa Shazzad Prova

Akifa Shazzad Prova, also known as AK, is a 13-year-old internationally published author, poet, and songwriter from Chattogram, Bangladesh. Currently a Class 8 student at B.M.S Girl's High School and College, her literary work has been featured in the PJCA Islamabad’s 1st International Haiku Anthology, SweetSmell Journal (Nigeria), and Nexus Pages Publishing. With over 50,000 views on her poetry collection on Webnovel, Akifa blends creative storytelling with her passion for social advocacy and environmental conservation. Beyond her writing, she is a registered UNICEF U-Reporter and holds professional certifications in Cybersecurity, PSEA, GBV, Security Risk Management, and MEAL.

In the labyrinth of Dhaka, where shadows grow teeth,

I danced in a cage with a knife in its sheath.

The air tasted of iron, of drains, and of dust.

In a home built on gambles, betrayal, and rust,

A mother's gold ring for a demon's last bet.

The sting of the leather, the salt of the sweat.

I practiced my moves in a mirror so cracked,

While the ghosts of my idols kept my spirit intact.

You sold me for paper —seven thousand and five,

A lamb for the slaughter, just to stay alive.

But the red of my dress wasn't meant for the stage—

It was stained with the price of escaping my cage.

From the steam of the kitchens to the Seoul city lights,

I studied the hunger of sub-zero nights.

I didn't just sing; I reclaimed every scar,

While the world saw an idol, I remained a ghost star.

Now the stadium pulse is a heart made of lead;

I see you both waiting to be loved and be fed.

But the silver I hold isn't light from the sky—

It's the final "I love you"—a lethal goodbye.

The debt is now settled, the silence is gold,

A story of blood that was bought and then sold.

Behind the iron bars, let the melody swell,

For I found my heaven inside of a cell.

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The Red Dress of Redemption

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