appealing

The Maynard
Fall 2020

Danielle Badra
0:00
 
 

A Post-Apocalyptic Nightmare

—after Etel Adnan

No one killed. No one killing. No one killer. No one kills
                                                         prayer in the mosque without reason.

Without motive. Without sacrifice. Without regret
                                                         black procession tinier than ants.

A human but no humanity. A book but no binding. A sundial but no gnomon.
                                                         A breeze but no garden.

Are you ready? Are you waiting? Are you aware? Are you armed?
                                                         The much-awaited enemy has not come.


Yet another year. You’re here yet again. The end yet is near.
                                                         He ate his yellow sun and vomited.

Icarus burns before an impact with earth creates space.
                                                                                     Time:
                                                         impact craters
                                                         lemon crushed by a wheel grating under funerals

allowed to happen. Allowed by gold. Allowed by language.
                                                         Between Beirut and Sidon there is sea.


Between yes and no there is desert. Between rich and poor there is dusk.
                                                         The night is not of war.

War is every second. War is everywhere. War is every word.
                                                         Nothing is crushed by the silence.

Prayer is silent. Poems are silent. Peace is silent. Protest is silenced.
                                                         Guns are rusting in travel bags.


                                          This is a
                                                        Revolution.