“Let us also acknowledge that the hearts which suffer the most from our wars are those of mothers. Their vital voices have been left out of the political equation for too long. An Iraqi or American mother cries the same as an Israeli or Afghan mother. The eyes of a mother who has suffered the loss of a child can destroy the soul of anyone who gazes upon them. More souls become casualties of war than physical bodies. War is a soul-shattering experience for the innocent.”

― Suzy Kassem, Rise Up and Salute the Sun: The Writings of Suzy Kassem

I Sing to Death

I sing to death
lullabies
to lull to sleep
the urge towards eternity
offered too soon

renegade bullets
meant for war
traitors all
taking advantage
of misplaced fear and militant complacency
you are not death
only foot soldiers
in a giant
legion
one of a multitude of weapons
greed embraces and
fear clings to

I sing to death
love songs
trying to warm
cold
pale
flesh
hoping death once knew youth
and the urge to dream
and tiptoe
gently
through one more day

I sing to death
of sleep
of love
of hope
and dreams unfulfilled
partners now
death and I share
melodies
rhythms
cadences for a backdrop
sheltering the shadows of my deepest fear
uneasy caretakers of children taken too soon
our journey eternally entwined together

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