The Headscarf

Mark Twain said, “Clothes make the man.”

But what do headscarves make a woman?

Headscarves. Known as a wimple in English history, babushka (grandma) in Russia, hijab in Arabic.

Sakineh Mohammadi-Ashtiani is scheduled to receive 99 lashes by the Iranian government for being shown in a photo without covering her hair. The widow is to be lashed, her skin marred and broken because of man’s laws. How can showing your tresses be against the law and deserving this kind of treatment? How can we as humans let such an inhumane thing happen? Showing your hair shouldn’t be meant as something sinister, something indecent or corrupt? How could it be?

“The finest clothing made is a person’s skin, but, of course, society demands something more than this.” Mark Twain.

Now what should we demand of society?

The Merchant Woman
Tinged with sunlight
Sweeping down the back
In youthful glory
Plastered to the cheek
In rain or tears
Now laced with silver
Streaked with memories
Of fingers tangled in love
Long ago…
The black scarf untied
And purposefully left
Wisdom finally uncovered
As woman leaves
Shutting the door behind
And entering man’s world

By Becky Jarnes