Over the towns and villages of the Middle East
Thousands of stars glint oblivious
In the navy sky
The moon a crescent
All is still, silent
In Baghdad, Suleimanya
Ramat-Gan and Tel-Aviv
Streets deserted
Whitewashed houses, blocks of flats
Stand serene
Tough leaved plants in pots on balconies
Tired washing blows listlessly on rooftops
The heat is rising
The tension is palpable
Inside, couples feign sleep
But toss and turn exhausted
The imagination is active at night
Fear unloosed and unchained
Only the little children sleep deeply
In Israel strange shapes rise up from bedside tables
Gas masks, tried on umpteen times
Everywhere cupboards and cellars stacked full
Rice, sugar, chickpeas, lentils, olives, flour, tinned food…
The sound of a door slamming
Someone shouting
Enough to bring on a frenzy of nerves
Outside, strange men in camouflage creep from shadowy doorway to shadowy doorway
Lost in the gloom of the alley
Suddenly
A whistling sound, a flash darts down
Too fast to comprehend
An explosion, screaming
A house in ruins
Concrete falls spasmodically and settles
An ambulance screams through the night
In the buildings
Chaos and confusion
People rush down to cellars
Hide under beds and tables
Shivering and shaking
Staying there for hours
The stars glint on oblivious
In the navy blue sky
Over the Middle East
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