This is a Letter to Your Beautiful Mind

a poem by Rahat Kurd, 1997

This is a Letter to Your Beautiful Mind

from the scarfhead you glanced at
uneasily as you went past in the street today
as you pretended to take aim and fire
as you scornfully called out go back to iran or
wherever
how old this is getting
i'd rather write about the sky

response #1: go with your gut, girl

i wear this for fun, actually.
it's a scarf. deal with it.

response #2: politics and the fine art of the reactionary

no, i'm not oppressed -
not a soldier of wrath - no, i'm not
patriarchy's last victim -
no, i do have rights -
i'm not a fundamentali -
hey. Hey! I'm talking to you -

response #3: the appeal to intellect through reason

I want someday
to manage the word God in a poem
without committing travesty

response #4: it's ironic

how what covers my hair
slows traffic
scares boys
stops ultraviolet rays
starts riots

keeps my ears warm in winter.

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