Michael Mintrom: Mosul Requiem

Mosul Requiem

1

The sun, relentless, lights narrow alleys.

Looking up, tired eyes see silhouettes—

Jagged rooflines, broken walls, black against

A yellow sky. Evil things happened here.

The Great Mosque of al-Nuri’s a rubble heap,

The skull-like dome is cracked and bullet-holed.

That Mosque stood a thousand years. Holy ground.

A place of worship, singing, morning prayer.

School kids from Nineveh pay a visit.

They ask why the city is so smashed up,

Who were the villains? Who flew the war planes?

They wonder where the families have gone.

Are they safe now? Why are their clothes still here?

The next day, back home, they hide in cellars.

2

The wind never stopped blowing, dust and stink

Caught in my nostrils. What started with bombs

Quickly became everyone for themselves.

There were many days of wrath. Fire came

From everywhere. Slaughter all about.

I had powerful weapons and, by ladder,

I scaled the walls. From three vantage points

I worked hard….