the cradle of ancient civilizations
where monuments inspired by
Greco-Romans and Persians
hold up the sky, and time
stands still, when my hands can’t
reach out or encircle the children
who were unable to flee
or to rebuild the walls of bombed out
houses, are unable to light
candles of hope when night and day
are reversed, and a woman who was a wife
and mother lies on the cobbled street
her blood leaving its marks,
while the blind-hearted man
who destroyed so many names
and faces turns away with his rifle
cocked, believes that he is cleansing
Syria in a holy war, cloaked
in ideology, exchanging
a slogan for his soul.