Ayatollah, brought, in, 1979
Faith, for men, fear, for womankind
And a caution, to not, cross red line
“… lest sinners’, heads roll.” staunch cleric, signed!

How, morally proud, in a, ‘blessed’, black shroud
Shame-baptized, lesser lives, feel, since then
Herded by, ‘Moral Police’, in a, cowards’ crowd
Sentenced, to hell, by, ‘Holy Henchmen’!

“Chop off, those braids, burn off, those veils!”
Is the, deafening shibboleth, in every street
Since, Mahsa’s life, was lost, amidst, wails
“Why a faith, must succumb to, fear’s deceit!”

Perplexed clergy, transfixed regime
Bear thru, a dilemma, of despair
Bared, to the bone, their, blind episteme
Façade, of Faith; Hijab, Of Fear!

© 2022 Vikas Chandra