PEARL DAVIES SAAD
I watch the Palestinian girls on TV
and my heart breaks.
Their dark eyes
light-brown/dark-yellow skin
thick hair and
passionate voices.
They wear short-sleeved white blouses
and talk about self determination.
They are beautiful.
I know only what they told me:
I am dirty, ugly, not white enough.
Too yellow, too green,
hairy arms and legs.
A barbarian,
a girl mocking civilization.
I should hide,
hold myself in.
Do as I am told and
pledge allegiance
step on a crack.
I come home from school,
always on time.
I play jacks
while my mother speaks
Arabic on the phone.
-210-
Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.com
Publication information:
Book title: Food for Our Grandmothers:Writings by Arab-American and Arab-Canadian Feminists.
Contributors: Joanna Kadi - Editor.
Publisher: South End Press.
Place of publication: Boston.
Publication year: 1994.
Page number: 210.
This material is protected by copyright and, with the exception of fair use, may not be further copied, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means.
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