The evening breeze cools the air
As trees sway and clap in rhythm’s fare
Birds prepare for slumber’s embrace
While children play in scanty grace

Pots clink and soup’s scent fills the street
A girl’s stomach growls with hungry beat
Teenagers glued to their screens
Ignoring the muezzin’s call that gleams

A woman calls her son to the mosque
Wrapped in a cloth that shields her bulk
The bar’s loud music cuts through the night
Men drink, forgetting their Lord’s sight

All these sounds and sights disturb the peace
But hidden away, there’s a girl in need of release
Her jilbab worn and torn, face covered with veil
She’s hungry, lonely, and weak, yet her faith doesn’t fail

If only you saw her, you’d put aside
Your phone, your drink, and your pride
You’d rush to the mosque like a child promised sweets if he prayed
And offer her food, friendship, and treats

She can’t see the trees, clouds, or sky
But she dreams of a happy home, love, and sight
She’s not depressed, but a happy soul
Who believes in Allah, and strives for her goal

Oh, how she wishes for a mother’s embrace
To wipe her tears, and soothe her face
She prays for food to silence her stomach’s rumbling
And for friends to share a laugh, and a sibling

If only you saw her, you’d be grateful for what you have
And not take life for granted, nor be a slave
To the world’s distractions, but a beacon of hope
To those who are blind, hungry, or without a rope.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo by Tom PREJEANT on Unsplash