Iran 1980

For­got­ten mar­tyrs of war
crushed under repeat­ed strikes
lay frozen behind the photo
of Iran 1980…

Behind the Iran­ian emblem
of Khorramshahr
car­niv­o­rous tanks
like a spit­ting cobra
shoot out ven­om to
mark the doom of anoth­er empire.

Evo­lu­tion paused by a bul­let rain
unleash­es the mid­night shiver
to crawl, brawl and ruin
gen­ders with­out discrimination.

The mean­ing of celebration
was occa­sion­al smiles
fea­tur­ing burnt teeth
expos­ing black­ened tongue
which can no more crack jokes
but scream
in rival­ry with roar­ing fires.

A rough pic­ture caves in history
like scav­engers eat­ing inside the motionless
back­drop of a vain triumph.

*Khor­ramshahr: City in Iran