She was young and elegant
wrapped her hijab around her frame
She was confident and fearless
that nothing would make her break
But as she kneeled down on the floor about to recite a prayer
the people behind would spit out poison words
piercing through her like a knife
her heart would shatter into tiny pieces
and she'd try to run back to her house
but they would throw the back of her hijab across her head
and call her a terrorist
say she didn't belong
that it's wrong
of her to be praying and walking down the streets confidently
while she wears a rag on her head
and they try and they try to rip it off but she remains glued to the wall hands pressed on her head
praying for God to save her
Dear America,
You claim that there is freedom for all religions
Then why when I walk outside
I get stares of judgment
Why when I walk outside I hear whispers,
What is she wearing on her head
Mommy, is she a terrorist like we saw on the news last night?
Or they yell,
Go back to your country
but I was born here so what country do you want me to flee to?
No matter how hard I try to remain a calm complexion
the words hurt more than physical pain
Am I expected to be used to it by now?
I can't complain, no matter how hard I try it never gets better
Dear America,
It hurts to know
I'm hated by your society
you think I'm hiding a bomb deep within my bag
you think I'm an extremist
just because of the faith I express
why is it that every time I walk into your airports
I get scanned an extra ten minutes
why is it that whenever I go on the subway
the people give me nasty glares
and stare at me
with fright
All these questions but
America...
you never have answers
