Black pupils of our e y e s
melting into every soldier booted
ears of mountain gazelle A L E R T
to Palestinian mole rats

Rats scatter into open s e w a g e s
our mountain hide-outs faraway
soldiers BANG on backdoors
pupils of our eyes dilate B A T T L E

We watch fleeting shadows of r i f l e s
behind buckthorns, aching for s o
Ft
hands of our mamas, oupa’s sure feet
brazen Commander’s hair stood on E N D

Hair not washed or brushed for w e e k s
mama’s tortoiseshell comb sold for bread
buckthorn still grow in fer
tiLe Jordan valley
with blue irises they await rifle meltDOWN

“Shoot” ! said our t r a i n i n g
watch, whispered our Hearts
pre-teen bodies quivering
slender arms lift cold rifles
together my sister and I took aim
blood splattered gazelle and soldier
masked we fled into bushes of Wind
children no more, CEASEFIRE camouflaged

We are o l d souls in children’s bodies
our faces masked for protection
blood one with young across planet
brothers and sisters have we many
tender minds are geniuses h o l y
we quiver not in this senseless war
Hearts know Love answers prayer
this training is a game of futile TIME

Memories of children scrawled a c r o s s
Gaza’s golden kingdoms in ethers cry
hymns cannot be silenced, their sheaths
knowing dances in occupied spaces
Jerusalem WEEPS

Our peachy wisdom dance on s a c r e d land
we continue to chant delicate hymns
ethers hold our T r u t h s and our youth
the children of Gaza exist in THE ALL
Jerusalem is … W
i t h
IN


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