Ammochostos Poem by Elia Michael

A golden sandy shore that stretched for miles
which hides this city giving it its name,
but now it grimaces instead of smiles
and rats and ghosts alone live there and claim
the empty residences and hotels.
The hostile guns and razor wire defend
the ageing buildings which are now just shells.
The occupants were forced to leave, to end
their tie with this an ancient fabled city,
as if a bond such as this can be severed -
for no amount of understanding pity
consoles these ones who have lost all they treasured.

I long to see the day when you are free,
And you can be a host to them and me.