Back to My Mothers Land
By Shamsia Razaqi

Mama can't sleep-
for fear of land mines across the street-
can't eat for love of the babies belly aching- crying with defeat
the mother land never was the promised land-
but this chaos no one quite understands-

Lawless in the streets --today your death you might meet-
Tread over bomb shattered streets-
Thank the lord for your bare bleeding feet-
Beggars plead leading a life of deceit-
Falling to deny defeat-
Just life on the streets-
My mama still can't sleep-
Everyday I dreamt of the motherland I would meet-
Eyes open wide my heart skips a beat-

Every brick stone and wall scarred by ammunition fall-
bow my head in vein-but still beggars stand tall-
Winter, spring and fall, bombs covered us all-

Now we prey for this new day rising-
Democracy striving-

Safety for sale in the city-
While outer villages burn bleeding wrapped in fury-

Interim governments glow in glory-
Just another coup for our torn history-
Day to day never know less worries-

Scurry the streets for salvation or to unburry their broken homes-
A pain like this I've never known-
A home like this I'll always own-
Cover my head and walk the streets in my sacred home-
To know in this disdain I'm not alone-
But part and parcel of an army, too broken to carry-
The weight of this landlocked hate-
still all await our future in haste-
Every morning breath too precious to waste-
So on the battle goes for a happy home-

A heartbeat away from another invasion-
Living is a special occasion-

This land is too shattered to matter-
So let the broken homes shatter,
and the lifeless bones splatter-
Mountain scapes suspended by smog, play by the moonlight-
as the back drop to our revelations tonight-

Whispers of wisdom and rants of revolution-
Barely breathing in pollution-
We digging our graves for a solution-
Can't take another day of confusion-or politic abusin'-

War lords and fetuses dead before fully born-
past broken lines torn-
Destruction and devastation-
Stand in line to save a broken nation-
Breathe the frustration-
Inherit the salvation-
Observe patience and brighten faces-
So many horror stories
and wrenching worries-
can't sleep tonight- but i know i'll be alright...