Children Crying in the Night
by Asma - Um
Abdu
This is the story that must be told
Of a Muslim
baby, not very old
Lying in her crib on a star-lit night
How
could she know of those planes in flight?
She lies there
quietly touching her nose
Watching her mobile, wiggling her
toes
Oohing and cooing, so sweetly is she
Talking to someone,
who could it be?
An angel is standing with her in the
room.
The baby is smiling, unaware of her doom.
The crib starts
to shake and the mobile goes round
Then suddenly comes the most
deafening sound
The ceiling drops in, in a second or two...
On
her crib so she ceases to coo...
No one knows how long she lies
there
Who thought about it? Doesn't anyone care?
Is she
alive? Is she dead? Is she in pain?
Now that you mention it, who
knows her name?
Her name is Amel, in English we say Hope
Crushed
between the rubble, her tiny fingers start to grope!
Where is
my Mommy? I love her so dear.
Come get me Mommy! It's dark in
here!
I'm scared and hungry and I can't see my feet,
There's
blood in my mouth! Give me something to eat!
Where is Daddy?
Where's my big brother?
It hurts when I breathe! Where is my
mother?
How long have I been here? Is this just a dream?
I open
my mouth, but I can't even scream!
They appear again by my
side.
This time with a tear I plead...Why have I died?
Am I
alone in my suffering? NO, there are many others.
In our grief and
misery, we are all sisters and brothers.
Who are we, I ask you..
for what crime did we die?
They're throwing a party! Doesn't
anyone cry?
Is it true? Am I nothing?! How could it be?
Don't
they also have babies, just like me?
It is war they say, of which
death is a part.
How blind they've become, how hardened of
heart.
Did someone say hero? To whom they speak?
A VICTORY
CLAIMED FOR KILLING THE WEAK?!
Why are they happy? Why are they
proud?
Don't they know that I'm cold in my burial shroud?!
No
war has been won; no ifs, buts or maybes,
They've only killed
babies..