Monday, December 18, 2023

HAVOC

by William Aarnes


A Palestinian child stands among the rubble of buildings destroyed in Israeli attacks in Nuseirat refugee camp, Gaza. [Photo: Ashraf Amra/Anadolu] —AlJazeera, December 4, 2023


                        rubble, rubble
                                    rubble, rubble, rubble
 
children exist, children exist,
cheery children exist,
chasing each other
at a wedding chosen 
as the target for the missile
that’s seconds away
 
                        rubble, rubble
                                    rubble, rubble, rubble
 
children exist, infants
napping in the daycare
in the building the terrorist
chooses to bomb
 
                        rubble, rubble
                                    rubble, rubble, rubble
 
                                          children
exist, orphaned and maimed
but maybe recovering
in a children’s ward when men
with grandchildren choose
not to worry if the hospital
might be shelled
 
                        rubble, rubble
                                    rubble, rubble, rubble


William Aarnes lives in New York. The refrain of "Havoc" might be a spell uttered by the gods  of havoc, though you might also hear an echo of "Nothing" by The Fugs.