MY MUSLIM BABY

I've noticed something in my son just now
he's laying as in praying facing east somehow
I know that this is Jerusalem's way
But is that Salam Alechem he's mouthing today?

Perhaps he's started Yoga so young
Or he's a practicing Brahman, with the whip of his tongue
He could be genuflecting, perhaps he's a Catholic
And his bend is toward what he thinks is a relic.

I haven't instructed him one way or the other,
at 11 months old, I figured why bother.
I'm not overly religious myself though I know,
if a Jew has a Muslim child, he might as well throw
himself off a bridge, the family will stare
because Jewish and Muslim, how do you dare?

'He's Jewish by birth,' they'll aver with opinion,
and push him to join every evening minyan
but while blood may be pure, it's invisible by sight
and like many others before him, he simply might
decide my religion just doesn't make sense,
But instead turns toward Mecca for his recompense.

Would I exile him or simply cast him aside?
as many of my friends would, because deep inside
he doesn't feel what I feel or believe what we do.
So then what will it mean that he's been born a Jew?

At eighteen, he'll be free, though my influence is there
but I wonder if my baggage will make him less aware
of those that would love him because he's a Jew
and because they are Muslim, he might love them too.


So perhaps he's a Muslim, and I don't know it yet
only time will tell, I can influence him yet
but therein lies the quandry, do I push him to be
something that is solely to satisfy me?

Perhaps that's been the problem all along,
parents pushing children through prayer and through song
to love only each other, and hate from the past
I want my son to know if the world is to last
that these petty differences, though bitter and long
need to be pushed aside to write a new song.

So if Muslim he is, I'll love him the same
and I won't even care if he changes his name
Because though important, religion is another label
that separatists use to continue the fable;
I guess then all there's really left to say
is that my son, I will love you, even if Allah is your way.