by Judith Terzi
The Nafusa Mountains form the boundary between the Libyan
coastal plain to the north and the Tripolitanian Plateau to the south.
These mountains greet the children, back for good,
and fathers, brothers home to rugged terrain.
The warriors' blood has dried, their battles won.
Shepherds carry staffs again, no guns,
their flocks no longer roam in solitude.
The storks fly overhead, no drones, no planes,
and cooks decry a soldier's fare of beans
and rice, prepare the feasts for weddings now.
And birth. The orchards, olive trees bear gifts
of victory fruits. And youyous echo, a show
across the valleys, from minaret to cliff.
All trace of fear has disappeared, no seams
of solemn earth in sight. The opened door
excites the freed, no future need for war.
For many years a high school French teacher in Pasadena, California, Judith Terzi has also taught English at California State University, Los Angeles, and in Algiers, Algeria. Her poetry has been recognized and received prizes from numerous journals in addition to nominations for Best of the Net and Web. Her books include The Road to Oxnard and Sharing Tabouli. Poems are forthcoming in Raintown Review and Spillway.
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