R-E-S-P-E-C-T
I walked through the cavern
of the mall in Abu Dhabi.
I was as layered as if I was
a scientist in the Antarctic
in winter.
Pants under a dress.
A long sleeved shirt over the
top of the dress.
A scarf around my neck. Everything but elbow length gloves.
Respect for Muhammad’s culture.
Two men in their dresses and head
scarves
slid next to me and
purposely bumped into my side
as if we were doing a sixties dance.
They didn’t laugh. They simply walked on.
I wanted to dash after them and
scream “Why am I dressed like a
toddler in her first snow storm if you
treat me like a whore anyway?”
But I turned and stepped out the
glass door into
the flat inexpressive heat.
respect for Muhammad’s culture.