TO THE CHILDREN OF AFGHANISTAN

Thousands of children and orphans are roaming
The rugged mountains of Afghanistan
Moving so fast but going nowhere

The last time they saw the sky was before
Bombs began to shower the earth

Smoke and pollution have made them introspective
Pondering the inner soul of humanity
Looking for answers for their never-ending plight

Where to hide from the bombs
And where to hide from the sins of the world?

In a freezing night in the Hindu-Kosh mountains
I glimpse the eyes of these wanderers by night
SEARCHING FOR FOOD
And praying that no more bombs would fall on their heads

I feel the pain of your stomachs
And I become ashamed of our affluence
We have made you poorer than before
And expunged you from our conscience.

Yet, every day we talk about the virtues of our civilization
You are starving in front of our eyes;
Yet we enjoy our snacks and drinks while watching you on TV.

When we bomb the hell out of your devastated cities
And rugged mountains
We claim, with a big smile, that we stand for mercy and human rights

And the cold, dreary eyes of the military experts dominate our TV screens
Telling us about the great victory we have achieved against the enemy.

I feel the breath of the stones
The soul of the mountains
Crying out in pain
After waves and waves of our
Precision-tuned bombs
Penetrate the subterranean depth of nature.

The aching heart of the world saturates my being
Lifting me away from the pain of those innocent children.

However, I see you in the mountains of Afghanistan
The streets of Africa
In our down towns in the USA.

No one greets you and none bids you farewell
You have been deserted and alienated
But "blessed are the aliens, since they are the heirs of the kingdom
of God?.
Yes, our spiritual starvation does not acknowledge your blessedness.

Come close to me
And revive my poor soul
You are the salt of the earth
You are the perfume of our existence.

Ibrahim M. Abu-Rabi
October 26, 2001