mouths, silenced, stitched, shut [For Peshawar]

Photo © Wall Street Journal/Associated Press

the faces of
children
shame
innocent
children

blood in the streets
of
the faces
of children
muddied
hardened

weeping tears
like willow trees in Spring

mouths
silenced
stitched
shut
like sewing needles
stuck
harshly
into skin, soft
like bullets
flying
a ricochet
hitting
soft
matter

drawing blood
and more blood
and blood of lives
lost

the present
vomited by forefathers
from past
repeated
set to
rewind
constant

Oh, the innocents,
their dear souls wander
lost and weary
beneath starshine
and the world does not weep
mankind does not weep
the children weep
My God
the pooling of the blood
of the hearts
snuffed out
dead
cold
lying like
fish out of
water
eyes bulging
bloated
on fire
ablaze

they watched
as those they loved
were murdered
they stared
as bodies burned
they stood like statues
as they were
questioned
attacked
harassed

the innocents
the children
the nation of children
blown out
like candle wicks

the faces of
children

shame
innocent
children

blood in the streets
of the faces

of children

mouths
silenced
stitched
shut


© Susan Marie

© Hasan Javad Chatha for speaking these words to me:

"Our government is hungry for our blood. Blood of the nation of the children. Shame."