This religion was not mine.

This rich heritage and culture
that has been blanketed over me
was not given to me at birth.

I was given no choice in the beginning
to accept what God had planned for me.

I was not given my right at birth,
but I found it at rebirth,
and now it is mine.

That religion,
the one that granted me my name,
the book handed to me at birth,
was not my own to keep.

This religion,
that I am learning and embracing,
is mine.
This book, this scripture
is mine;
it says so, I was born for this.

There are some struggles,
changes in faith,
changes in identity,
changes in appearance.

I am not looked at the same.

I thought I'd only adopt one new name,
but I adopted two.
The name I chose for myself,
and a title:

Muslimah.