Malcolm Fabiyi
Winner of Sentinel Poetry Bar August Challenge
At Tyre*
The earth has stopped its shaking
And the skies no longer rain bombs
On sheltering holes.
Even so, the night is still far away
And sleep must yet keep its distance.
These bloodied fingers that
Dug holes in granite rocks,
To build a shelter from the leaden rain;
These fingers must dig yet again,
To disgorge earth's entrails
And make room for the newly felled.
These eyes, weary from dread
Must keep open still
To water the path of our dead
Souls are tired in Tyre,
And bodies too.
Our necks are strained from
Gazing skywards at leaden rain;
Our feet are weary from
Racing shadows in the day,
And fleeing nightmares at night.
Even so, we will rebuild these fallen walls
But not with bricks that crumble
When the earth rumbles
We will rebuild with slender grass
That sways when winds blow
* Southern Port City of Lebanon
Previous | Next
