Iraq

IRAQ (C) Alan Smith 23 March 2003

In desert sands
A fragile flower
Survives
While up above
Foul demons toy
With lives

The man kneels down
Beside the bloom
To pray
Reminded of
His garden
Far away

A place of peace
For which he'd risk
His life
He sees them wave:
His children and
His wife

He spoke to them
In words that
Must be said
The awful truth
'I shot a man
He's dead'

The sniper spits:
'Invader!
Infidel!'
He fires to send
The kneeling man
To hell

The bullet hits
Explodes inside
His head
His final sight
A blossom
Splashed with red