Poem 2
I wrote this during the time when Islamophobia was especially strong because of ISIS and because of the hurtful people who believed all Muslims are terrorists. It doesn't have a title. And I'm not pointing fingers. I just wrote this to express how I felt.
Being a Muslim girl means you have to hold your tongue and be polite
Anything other than that simply isn't right
You shouldn't have come here, go back to Islam they say
If that was a place, I would've packed my bags yesterday
I'm caged in the country of "liberty"
Why am I not free?
Eyes watching me with hatred and ignorance
What I wouldn't give for a chance
A chance to tell the truth
Who am I? What am I?
Who are you? What are you?
People staring as if I am an exhibit in a zoo
Everywhere I went, they were there too
The whispers, the pointing, the hushing
Trying not to let them see how I'm rushing
Anxiety, because I'm a Muslim, a hijabi
They look at my scarf and long skirts disdainfully
Is it wrong to believe what I believe?
No, I have my rights, anyone who disagrees can leave
Being a Muslim doesn't mean you're a terrorist
Of those who hate groups like ISIS, we're at the top of the list
Who am I? What am I?
Who are you? What are you?
Has everyone forgotten the Salem Witch Trials?
Is being who I am and what I am really so vile?
I didn't do anything, all I want is peace
I want to be able to be at ease
Why?
Because I am human too.
Who am I? What am I?
Who are you? What are you?
We are all humans.
In case anyone was confused, the Salem Witch Trials were an event in American history where people were wrongfully burned at the stake because of ignorance and hatred. Some young girls had claimed witches were attacking them and hurting them and instead of listening to the "witches" and their side of the story, the "witches" were killed. Later on, it turned out that the girls being "attacked" were most likely hallucinations caused by an LSD found in fungi that grew on the wheat crops that they used to make bread. The reason adults weren't affected was because it is more effective on children. So, people were wrongfully killed, and we only found out why after all the people involved were dead.
Comments