they all give me wary eyes

cross the road to avoid crossing paths

pull their children closer 

holding them tighter

the drunk men hoot at my covered behind

"Allahu Akbar"

they say 

beer bottles raised to the sky

"what's that ticking noise?" says one man

another turns to meet my gaze

"it's a bomb! run! everyone run!" he screams

my face stays hidden

concealed behind the cause of my pain

this unwarranted prejudice

i did nothing wrong

i did not lay so much as a finger on you yet

why is an act of my faith

seen as an act of terrorism

in this society 

of so-called acceptance