the Veil

A Veil What is in the veil? What picture comes to mind? White fluttering to the music The rhythm of happiness Floating now, gliding now Prominent with every move A halo of protection, a sign A proclamation of a new life An introduction covering Shy bashful eyes sparkling into the future Lifted gently back over the hair No, over the continuous cascade Flowing gently, enveloping caressing. What is in the veil? What picture comes to mind? Protection covering the newborn A barrier against the new world An introduction soft and gentle Sometimes parting while others softly fluttering Peeping though new experiences Excluding harmful subjects Parting to accept love and warmth Closed against cold and danger Little fingers pulling and attacking Playing with the loose ends Sometimes even sucking at it!   What is in the veil? What picture comes to mind? The entry into a new world Of essence and candle smoke Coloured visions looking down Gazing upon bent heads All veiled all the same Low cast eyes thinking pious thoughts Worshiping, praying asking Maybe humming a psalm, or prayer beads Offering the world kindness, protected From all elements, cold heat and wet Their emblem proclaiming them. What is in the veil? What picture comes to mind? Florence Nightingale, angles of mercy Ah truly! The fluttering in the silence Brought the wounded comfort The white in the dark symbolized Relief, help, kind words even life Tugging at the end an over looked human Ripping it to hold together a battered figure A cover to protect from the weather A warmth to wrap a lonely child in A cover for the dead if need be A sign, we are here. What is in the veil? What picture comes to mind? The maid the lowly status The differentiation between classes To keep the hair out of the food To protect her or to stigmatise her To pick them out in a crowd To undermine them and order them To appreciate them after years gone by To hear storytelling in evenings To be lulled to sleep to their songs To be protected against parents by them A covered head is all that? What is in the veil? What picture comes to mind? Of all the good aspects and connotations Why is it then, why does the hejab Bring to mind only the low status The picture of unpleasantness Although a more positive vision be With all the world views and cultures All religions and cults why is the hejab A victim, a symbol of unhappiness Bring to mind the bride, nun, and nurse Remember piety and symbolism Believe in the perfect and glorified Allah, Subhan Allah 27-11-2001 Written November 27th, 2001 © on Jan 08 2002 01:18 AM PST    18 • 10 • 13