The Washing Process

When I hear words describing the washing of feet, I tend to recoil. However, after further examination and reading, I can understand the importance of said process. The weight of the situation nearly has its own gravitational pull attached to it. In the poem, Kahf describes how her “grandmother puts her feet in the sink/ of the bathroom at Sears” to wash them for a daily ritual. Kahf informs the reader of the widely different cultures converging in the Midwestern Sears bathroom. In doing so, Kahf’s grandmother exclaims, “if you Americans knew anything about civilization and cleanliness,/[they’d] make wider washbins” (3). Grandma has quite a lot to say about the crooked looks towards her from different patrons and employees. She is only worried about one thing: her feet. Well, not just her feet; rather the importance behind her feet and her prepared nature. Grandma is the epitome of a cultured woman; understanding many and nurturing the one she cares for most.