Iraqi Plight

It was dark as darkness could be
Smells of gunpowder and human flesh
Permeating the air to form a stench
As ugly as any unholy alchemy
Cries of pain and agony
Bodies scattered in every street and alley
Disfigured, rotten and swollen!
Feverish soldiers in a hell of a frenzy
Shooting in all directions, shooting to kill
Any living soul: man, woman, boy and lassie
Hovering planes launched bombs
To flatten to earth any desolate house or shanty
Explosions here and explosions there
Innocent souls silenced to death
Hateful GI's armed to the teeth
Entered mosques and slayed worshippers
Kicked, trod and spat on holy books
And like dirty swines urinated all over the place.

Mohamed Chhilif