waiting to die
October 4, 2011
the earth holds her breath
waiting to die
and your hands search
her pockets
for a lover
governments dissolve,
guerrilla soldiers take
libraries hostage
what colors will you
wear for your love
tonight?
tsunami shifts north
to east, west to south
compasses explode, prayer
mats change position;
winds carry birds off
course; the lines of maps
are erased, names of
countries rewritten;
currencies drown the marketplace
and while apples and crockpots
flow down canals of city
streets, you taste another’s
mouth — lips that cannot bring war
to a stop, will not rebuild a
crumbling empire
except in your heart
© 2011 Tahminah Zaman
