in a place
where it is easier
to force women to hide their bodies
than it is
to expect men to avert their eyes,
what did she show
on the street
to make him ask her to cover herself?
was it the curve of her wrist
sliding seductively into forearm
escaping for a moment
the heat of her sleeve
as she bought oranges
or was it an inch
of her neck, suggesting
in length and grace
more beauty hidden
beneath that coat?
where even looking
is a sin,
& walking on the street
uncovered
an enticement
she told him to cover his eyes
in a place where to be raped
is to commit adultery
where even showing
the curve of a smile
is seduction
they must sweat, covered in coats
and dark colors under sun. when she shouted,
when she kicked him, it was for them, the women
obscured and weighted down
so they escape the light brush of eyes
on skin, those women who cannot speak,
who should never be seen,
who lower their heads
and walk quickly
Susan Daniels Poetry 
Well said.
Thank you, Moriah. I am proud of her for standing up to this man, but concerned about what her punishment might be for attacking a cleric.
What can I say!?! You got the message across #BAM!!!
Thanks, Boomie! This kind of stuff just ties my knickers in a knot.
A strong message !!!
thank you! I have never outgrown that “but it’s not fair” stage of development…hope I never do.
Thank you for this, Susan. As a very moderate Muslim, I have found it easier these days to stay out of such arguments, knowing that my views will contradict the conservative establishment. What angers me about this particular issue is that our holy book, the Qur’an, makes it clear that both women AND men should be modest in their dress and in their behavior, and it repulses me that again and again Muslim men excuse their own behavior–however reprehensible their behavior may be–by pointing the finger at a woman. If a man becomes distracted, tempted, upset because of a woman’s clothing, a woman’s hair, the flicker of flesh beneath a woman’s sleeve, then it is THAT man who has a problem to resolve, and NOT the woman he is obsessing about. Again, Susan, thank you.
George–my pleasure, though I wish I never, ever had to write such things. I am upset, not with the Muslim faith, but with the mindset in places like Iran and Afg that oppress so. As a fundi,I tend to keep my mouth closed too when among people of my faith, because my views are not accepted there, either. Sigh. What you said here was beautifully said.
As a non-violent person, please forgive me for straying, but… that must have felt damn good.
LOL, yep!
Fantastic!
oh, thank you, Julie!
I am really glad you tackle current events in your poetry, Susan.
Thanks, Karin–I kind of have to, when the absurdity hits a certain level, or I wonder what the cleric saw to ask the woman on the street to cover herself better…my muse is sometimes political, and sometimes just chases the bright and shiny things. unpredictable…
Here Here and good for her. I shutter to think the repercussions for her, but the time has come for such bravery. Nothing will change until the women stand up, hard as it will be, impossible perhaps, but they must do this for themselves. Brilliant Susan.
Thank you, Rhonda. It took just one woman to refuse to stand on a bus to start all sorts of change here…
That’s exactly right. I wish they could know how much support they would have.
oh, me too.
in a place
where it is easier
to force women to hide their bodies
than it is
to expect men to avert their eyes,
This is a gripping introduction that says so much. It sets the tone of the poem perfectly, in my opinion. You really say this perfectly.
Jeremy, thank you. Once again, this is a poem I would rather to not be inspired to write–but imbalance of any kind gets me going…
Being female can be tough and rough!
…being human is of itself rough enough and tough enough for all of us–but still we insist on drawing lines to make it tougher still; based on gender, based on race, based on so many many things that in the final analysis are simply artificial divisions. OK, off soapbox now.
Powerfully said.
thanks, Celestine! Again, wish I did not have to say it.
Excellent ass kicking, Susan!
🙂 thank you, Ken!