I asked my Muslim friend, “Which is worse
to paint a likeness of the Prophet or destroy
that portrait and thus erase His memory?”
“A man cannot erase the memory of Allah
for He resides within our every mind,”
my salah friend replied.
“The Prophet, blessed be He,
is but the mirror in which we see
the truth of what we all believe.
“Break the mirror and truth remains
unshattered, still a whole and clear
reflection that each shard retains
“a portion still divine though broken
a thousand times.” With that my friend
turned back to prayer and spoke no more

except again proclaim “God is great.”
With this avowal of undying faith
entered prayer ihram and discoursed
with me, the infidel, no more.

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This poem is from Ken’s latest chapbook, Remember, published by Kelsay Books. Buy online at Kelsay Books.