APRIL MAGMA ETHER STRANDED

    by Bedros Afeyan


    There is a House in the Highlands of Armenia, high above the howl of minions
    Turkish dogs scent mark its stone chiseled crevices and cracks, occupants unknown
    The house runs red, sometimes ashen, brown, sorrow dancing circles on its crown
    Carved noses, chins, hunched over caravans, invisible but in ink and salt stains

    Soft moan of orphans, headscarves covering sex identifying scars, tattooed as cattle
    Survival is a reed hanging from tall odds, beckoning the learned, become nomads
    They admire Germans and discipline, offering Doner Kekab scented Deutsche Marks
    Europe sears explosions in hate and envy, mad dogs of past glory reeked, bells rung

    But their flag is blood regurgitated Islamic pride hung from their bayonets at sunrise
    Minarets bob up and down blowing glory of absolute power intoxicating fright, kill, fight
    Bubbles in empty rose water, sweet nothings, hymns of war, cut off ears soon marked
    In this history there festers, gesturing, pestering neighbors and peaceful poets, bards

    Teach us and leave, achieve, believe, uphold your traditions, now die and if not now
    We will finish the task a hundred year hence, in Aleppo, in Der Zor, in Kessab.
    You will die in Artsakh and the mountains of Gharabagh. Just die and once again die.
    There is no refuge, no escape, no brotherhood or solace. Cursed perhaps, haunted, yes.

    But there is great diplomacy to slather and blather and bile by bile gather in harvest
    To fish old enemies and allies into a murderous spiral towards the next big vandalism
    Their culture murmurs its disgust at all but their own self-lust on a self-loathing crust
    Genocide, candle lit, a vigil, a march, shame to engulf the next century in mistrust.


    4-18-2016
    Pleasanton, CA


--
Dr. Bedros Afeyan is a theoretical physicist who works and lives in
the Bay area with his wife, Marine. He writes in Armenian and in
English and also paints and sculpts.



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