We dressed like Muslims
scarves and black abayas
beautiful shoes
no makeup yet under our hijabs
our hair was long and glorious
we were deliberate and pious
we lowered our gaze
and remained chaste
the world moved quickly
we moved slowly
through our five daily prayers
our husbands were enigmas
coming and going
through a curtain
touching us as if strangers
grateful for food, children
and purdah
we were God conscious and
conscientious
we lived in our safe world
of sisters, masjid, and Arabic
holding our breath
from Ramadan to Ramadan
Abaya – long traditional over-dress
Hijab – head scarf
Purdah – seclusion of women
Masjid – mosque
Ramadan – holy month, dedicated to fasting and prayer, that absolves previous sins
Khadija Anderson returned in 2008 to her native Los Angeles after 18 years exile in Seattle. Khadija’s poetry has been published in print and online extensively and her poem “Islam for Americans” was nominated for a 2010 Pushcart Prize. Khadija holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University Los Angeles.
qarrtsiluni 
This is a beautiful piece, Khadija. Still powerful after several readings. We need more poetry on this theme.
Judith
beautiful (if also hard) images from under the veil.
Oh, wow, Khadija. To me as an outsider, this poem manages to simultaneously highlight, question, and celebrate some of these ideas of what it means to dress “like a Muslim.” (I’m reminded of that wonderful tumblr: http://muslimswearingthings.tumblr.com/) Beautiful.
Thanks friends. Rachel, I had hoped to do that, nothing is black and white, as we know…