From West to East

By Jimmy Bangash

 

For honour for glory!

Amidst Scottish highlands

Kilts and the thistle

Adorn this brave band

 

 

 

For honour for glory!

We strap on our swords

Our archers are ready

Our steeds battle worn

 

For Kingdom and Country

We give forth our sons

Their spears are levelled

Their futures undone

 

Our battle horn sounds

The steeds gallop forth

Arrows fly passed us

And sing to the north

 

Spears pierce throats

Blood curdling screams

Seconds turn durée

For hours it seems

 

For honour for glory

They slay and they kill

Our sons were our champions

But now they lay still.

 

Winds pick up our banner

And carry it high

Eastwards it blows

Crescent moon in the sky

 

Travel across lands

Across seas and high hills

A change of perspective

Indulge if you will

 

Sand dunes and camels

Shalwar and Kameez

This wind blows much warmer

Religion of peace

 

For honour, no glory

For honour, no shame

Cleansed of her misdeeds

We maintain our name

 

Deep in this night

In a house to the north

A father and mother

And brother set forth

 

Ascending the stairs

Silent and nimble

This trinity take stock

And weapons assemble

 

For honour, no glory

To honour our name!

Her cries will be muffled

Our sister is slain

 

They enter her room

As she lays in her slumber

The brother leaps forth

To her movements encumber

 

Hands round her throat

Restricting her air

She moves now to scream

But her saviours are here?

 

Hijab in her mouth

To muffle her cries

Mum recites prayers

Bereft as she dies

 

Dad’s knee on her back

Chest pressed to the ground

Her lungs are erupting

Qur’an the last sound

 

For honour! For honour!

For honour! No shame!

To please our community

Our daughter we’ve slain.

 

Jimmy Bangash is a gay, British, Ex-Muslim Pakistani. He grew up in a traditional Pashtun family in London where he stood in ardent opposition to the patriarchy and misogyny in his community. His poems and prose focus on Islamic patriarchy and the experience of gays of Muslim heritage. He is a co-founder and integrative coach at integratedwellness.co.uk. 

You can follow him on Facebook and Twitter.