Army Camp

Army Camp

Although they are not old enough
The young men have left their homes
As if going to summer camp
And hidden in their mother’s hearts
There is a silent weeping
There is a silent foreboding
That even the faithful dogs feel
As though all joy left with their masters
On the tarmac that airport afternoon
In one, spontaneous, fell swoop.

Why are the Imams chanting?
And who prays on the marble floor
With the grit of blowing sand today?
-generating a fanatic fervor
Beneath a golden dome
Echoing over and over a mantra
“Allah Akbar! God is great!”

Is “Allah Akbar”, Is “God great”
By echoing over and over a mantra?
Beneath a golden dome
Generating a fanatic fervor
With the grit of blowing sand
And praying on a marble floor,
Why are the Imams chanting?
In one spontaneous fell swoop
On the tarmac that airport afternoon
As though all joy left with their masters
That even the faithful dogs feel
There is a silent foreboding
There is a silent weeping
Hidden in their mother’s hearts.
As if going to summer camp
The young men have left their homes
Although they are not old enough,

To kill and die in the scorching desert.