—ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT

 

 

The Children

 

They wanted to be loved. 

Somehow, young as they were, 

they knew love was the 

most important thing, 

as precious as an antique coin, 

far more essential to life 

than water or air, so to them 

the bombs looked like 

cherished friends or clouds perhaps, 

somehow symmetrical and gleaming

that afternoon. Each child left 

the school yard before the bell rang,

lining up, waving with their very best smiles.

 

 

      (2/28/26, Shajareh Tayyebeh^[ Elementary School