(Eastern Ghouta)
The road to paradise, an avalanche
of blood, swerves away
from them.
They hear a breath,
launch their sirens
through piled towers blinding dust,
shovel to concrete muffled moans—
O eyes heed—
bodies snapped into silence—
Blow, mouth, into beaten lungs!
Even God had to light the clay
with his frozen breath—
Hand, slap the new tender flesh—
Fingers, snatch a cry
from the shivering umbilical cord.
Read next: ’Alams for Saying “Yes” by Khaled Mattawa