Nagla Ali Hassan: A Game Tied With Strings

Do you know when-

I want to die?

When you imprison me, it is your love

When I scream from the cruelty of your authority,

And you belittle my scream

As if I am something without a will!

As if I am a stone statue

Or a silent corpse,

And my death was killed by silence!

I wish to die,

And not to be in your hands,

A game moved by spider webs!

I wish to die,

And not for the tear that is

Stifled in my eyes to scream-

With a thousand voices!

I wish to die,

And don't sell me in the name of love or marriage

I am a child in need of life

My cry for salvation

I refuse to sell this child in the name of marriage

I want to grow up

And live the beauty of my world

And play with my friends with my doll

And I'm not afraid of a day

My childhood and smile will be lost

I wish to die

And never live my life like this

I am free, yes, and rebellious

And in my refusal I am strict

And with my will I bid you farewell

Even if we commit suicide or even die

And I don't want to be a toy that you break with your hands

A child and slaughter her with marriage

This is not life

This would be death

And I know my death will hurt you,

And you are the tyrant!

I reject the harshness of your authority

I and my heart will live

In happiness alone,

Even if the price is,

Your heart dies.

Nagla Ali Hassan is an Egyptian-Iraqi visual artist based in the United Arab Emirates, specializing in Japanese Patchwork art—a unique three-dimensional sculpture technique using compressed cardboard covered with fabric. In addition to her expertise in this art form, she is skilled in painting, sculpture, leather engraving, wood burning, and various handcrafts. She is also a fashion designer for traditional and theatrical clothing, a poet, and a journalist for Zohwa magazine. Her artistic journey includes solo exhibitions in the UAE, Egypt, and Tunisia from 2020 to 2025, as well as participation in 320 group exhibitions across Egypt, Iraq, the UAE, Tunisia, Jordan, Serbia, Turkey, Germany, Morocco, and Spain. With a deep commitment to social impact, she strives to spread the culture of beauty in society, empower women who have faced violence by teaching them handicrafts for small business ventures, and integrate people with disabilities into society through art. Beyond her professional work, she enjoys visual arts, music, poetry writing, and travel.