Submitted by : hanifan on Death

AYSHA’S STORY (AN IRAQI GIRL) 2001

(this story came to me through dream whilst in Baghdad with the Human Shield)

They are gathering wood today in case it gets cold,
But it is not the first time they have looked for wood we are told.
Mum made up some games to keep us amused,
Electrics gone off, mum says it probably just fused.

I was fast asleep; suddenly I was awoken with a fright,
A very loud bang and a bright flashing light.
Mum said it was thunder and lightning and not to worry,
She takes time to comfort us even when she’s in a hurry.

We cannot go to town as usual to buy our food,
Too many cars and Lorries are blocking the road.
There is no running water; everything is just blocking the sink,
Mum says we will go to the river for something to drink.

Can’t go to my cousins today, my uncle is not very well,
I do not understand what they mean; he was hit by a shell.
Mum has just told me this is what happened to my own dad,
In 1991 an American bomb killed him; I am feeling sorrowful and sad.

My uncle died last night; my cousin has come here to stay,
It’s all quiet outside now, so we will go out and play.
Mum and auntie went shopping; it’s dangerous I hope they haven’t forgotten,
We found them much later, lying, where the soldiers had shot them.

We are so miserable and hungry but people just push us away,
And the police and the army have all run away.
People are hiding or out looking for food,
And the bombs keep coming it’s not looking good.

Last night we were very scared, the noise is really quite deafening,
Everything including my school is destroyed, it’s really quite maddening.
My cousin is crying we are both missing our mums,
We can hear people screaming over the sound of the bombs.

There is a deafening roar, then silence, is it all over?
My body is flying, spinning, it’s beginning to hover.
What is that light? Wow! So comforting, so loving, so warm,
A voice say’s, “come with me, I’m an Angel, I mean you no harm”.

A voice cries “darling, darling over here”, look it’s my mummy and dad,
I’m crying, I’m happy, he really is beautiful, the daddy that I never had.
I was only thirteen when I left that tormented Earth and I’m really quite glad,
I have only pity for ‘Bush and his Lords of war’, they are truly quite sad!

Written by Hanifan 24-02-2001