Midnight Encounter @ The Bus Stop Poem by Halima Ahmed

I swear the hatred in his eyes could pierce a hole in my heart…

His sly smile displayed his despise for people like me

His questions showed years of hate for my kind…

“Why are you out this time, ALONE? ”

He constantly tried to provoke me with his questions,

He represented everything-a corrupt uniform man stood for…

He threw more questions at me: Just like they do in 24….

I answered indifferently…

I could see my attitude hurt him..

I could care less he was a cop…

My only concern then was just to get home-to sleep...

As he was leaving...he chanted take care ma’am….

Take care- sure. That I should..of Policemen who pick question people like me..

Funny how out of 15 people..I seemed a potential threat…..

Did the scarf on my head madden him?

Or were his eyes hurt by the beautiful color of my skin?

Or was it my accent? Which was a proof for my foreignness…

Perhaps it was the fact that I was a woman…

His eyes bulged out because of the sharpness of my tongue…

Whatever it was-I enjoyed this encounter….

His anger somehow pleased my heart.


Halima Ali Ahmed
Copyright ©2009