Yasmen sat quietly at her father’s funeral,
She didn’t feel anything.
Her father never understood America.
“Too much Freedom for da wemens” he would say.
He brought his wife to Saint Paul, Minnesota
in the 90’s when Muslims were hated.
She always said that “Saint Paul was the friend of Jesus.”
Working as a cleaner Yasmen’s mom, Dilara would walk home alone
late at night through the park.
Yasmen’s mom was beaten to death by Muslim haters in 2001.
Raised by her Father she had to cover up with the Hajib everyday.
He wasn’t there much but when he was he would tell
stories about old days in Iran before the war with Iraq.
“ I remember the ruins of Persepolis, Amir Chakhmaq Square,
View of cupolas of the bazaars, a minaret and a windcatcher in Yazd province
When I was young we believed there would be peace in the world.
We believed that Iran would be free always.”
Yasmen waited until the people left the funeral.
She stood up and and unwrapped her head scarf.
She rolled it in a ball and threw it at her father’s grave.
She began yelling at the grave: “Ya Ibn el Sharmouta”
Oh yes you want us to use English.
Well it means “Son of a bitch”.
Father father father,you never understood America.
You never understood the freedom and the promise.
You never gave it a chance. Always talking about girls being servants,
Well I’m not your servant now.
Now is the day I burn the hajib on your grave.
Now is the time of my freedom and promise.
Let Allah be burned in Hell I am an American,
And Long live Minnesota.
Go the Golden Gophers!!!!
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Author:
David Wakeling (
Offline) - Published: March 3rd, 2024 02:18
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 10
Offline)
Comments3
Intriguing words David and could be so very true, any organised religion is a farce and giving it up, as I did, brings such freedom within oneself.
Andy
You are right.Religion is wrong especially when that religion preaches that Women are second class citizens.Thanks for your insight much appreciated.
Yasmen has broken free of the shackles. No longer a caged bird oppressed, she is now able to live her own life in the manner of her own choosing. And she has chosen Western values. Your story is most appropriate for International Women’s Day David.
Well I have daughters and I want them to be treated with respect.As far as Religion goes Women are treated poorly and it is disgraceful.Thank you for your comments.
I'm sorry David, but someone, somewhere , sometime is going to accuse you of cultural appropriation.
Quite possibly not here....
My experience is that poets have a little more understanding than the average.So I should be safe. Thanks for the warning
David, this was really a polite (for me) attempt to tell you that you are completely out of order. I don't believe I'm rigid or ideological here, but I would ask what right, what authority you have to project, in this case as a non Muslim, presumably Anglo (or something close) male of senior years your interpretation of the mental states of a number of your characters of differing ethnicities and female.
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