Saturday, May 28, 2011

The Death of Innocence


What can we know
About this child lying dead
Here, in this trackless land
of fierce sun and shifting sands?
That he played and laughed
And stood gazing in wonder
At a night sky filled with myriad stars
Endless, like the ghibli blown dust
That Malak al-Maut came for him
Unbidden, as the angel is wont to do
For the warrior, the woman, the aged
For this innocent child
That the angel of death came swifltly
Across an azure sky
Streaked with feathery clouds and fire
And he took this boy’s breath
And he took this boy’s body
And his soul, breathed them in
And exhaled his being in ghlibli dust
And placed his soul in the garden of heaven
Speak to me of mercy
Speak to me of compassion
Speak to me of innocence
And show me this small child
What can we know
About this child lying dead?

Friday, May 27, 2011

Q Squad Report

Officers responded to report
Of juveniles prowling vehicles
Upon arrival
Officer Argentina spotted
One of the suspects
Who fled on foot 
But was not as fast
As Officer Argentina
Who detained and restrained
The 14 year-old reported
Assault by 18 year-old brother
Who kept hitting him
All over his body
With an extension cord
Preliminary investigation indicates
Mother requested that brother hit him with the cord
Because he was performing poorly at school
Officer Argentina went to home
Mother reported break in at front door
Which no longer locks
Due to her children breaking in repeatedly
Nothing appears to have been stolen
But someone may have taken a shower
And probably ate, too
Mother suspects her son
Who is on the run
From his probation officers

Complainant at home
Reported to Officer Argentina
That her 18 year-old grandson
Threatened to kill himself
Because his computer was shut off
His grandmother took him to the Hospital
Because he said his blood was hot
Son called station
To report he wanted to kill himself
He said he had hit his foot several times
With a hammer
Officer Argentina
Issued a detain and transport
To Detox

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Lost and Found and Lost

I found the music cassette
After all these years
Dropped out of a box
of old videos
(I don't even have a VCR anymore)

I looked and looked for it
I don't know why
Just because you recorded it
These were the songs
That meant something to you then

"Who Wants to Live Forever"
The hell with everything
We were in  love
I was writing poetry
Like a lovesick teenager

I listen now
And can't find the words
But the feelings?
They still come
Overwhelming me again

Who dares to love forever