I thought it magical
Surreal
That the night sky
Be filled with steal
And change to day
Flash after flash
Of the bombs falling my way
I thought it a beautiful end
To an uneventful beginning
The 13 year old is no longer begging
To stay alive

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I thought it magical
Surreal
That the night sky
Be filled with steal
And change to day
Flash after flash
Of the bombs falling my way
I thought it a beautiful end
To an uneventful beginning
The 13 year old is no longer begging
To stay alive
Kitten
Stuck between the second and third floor
She screamed
Until we could take it no more
So we changed our plans
And luck would have it
The store we were to visit
Had been destroyed in seconds
By a bomber we didn’t see
And that’s how a stray kitten
Saved me
In 2007
.
.
Image credit HERE
On top of the world
We stood
Or so we thought
On the dorm’s rooftops
We slept
Explosions lit the sky
No thunder to fear
Just man’s lightening growing near
In time to get a shuteye
[That’s my Baghdad in 2007]
They were barefooted
Running after the tanks
Men dressed the color of desert
Staring at the foreigner’s hands
Children waving
Glorious day
When they believed what the soldiers had to say
Freedom I long to know
Freedom they told me so
.
.
Image Credit HERE
A memory that’s not yet old
Her, laying on my dorm room bed
Fever filling her head
Gun shots sounding closer and closer
Baghdad, what have we done?
I kiss her forehead, cover her with my blankets
Sister, what have we done?
I told her I have to step outside
But she couldn’t hear me
The small glass window was near me
And it was threatening to break
And everyone was screaming
I wished I’d been dreaming
But I thought I had to say my goodbyes
…
Sister we’ve come so far
This truth had to be told
Before our story got too old
And everyone forgot we existed
Look at this world of mine
There are lights, and street signs
Detours and construction work
Things I never thought I’d see
…
Strange how life turned out to be
From the thirty minute walk in January cold
Just to get to a class and do as I’m told
…
To the wild dogs chasing after me
And the rain following close behind
…
I never thought I would find
Myself complaining about a traffic light
Fireworks
Bright
Making a day out of that night
13 year old
I did not mind
Invade or liberate
That must be a freedom sound
Adults crying
Dad asking me to get inside
But I wanted to see it
I no longer wanted to hide
She was a child
Happy with no cares
Explosions sounded close
But she had no fears
She was a child
No stress yet learned
And so she saw fireworks
As her world burned
She was… Me