Qasim Poem by Nassy Fesharaki

Qasim

Montreal's short trip,
-special hook and ring
-was meant to help sister
-and to be good uncle
-as teaches our culture.

Left behind daily life
-let the things rest for while.

And sure, was too great
-it added to friends
-the Iraqi Qasim;
- (He now owns restaurant;
- "The Palace of Kebab".)

Some call us enemies
-some rewrite history
-look at the Mada'in
-it proves what was then;
-our roots are exact same.

Who has made the borders…?
Who has made the anthems…?

The devils, no one else,
-and we know their danger;
-they bite and have venom.

They are the abusers
Abusers, abusers,
Abusers!

Abusers wrote and signed
-they imposed the thick walls
-for ruling, they divide,
-till we shed skin and no more us!

I asked him to sit down
-then revealed secret, heart
-which is life inside me.

He served us greatly
-and returned our money…

"When the war was raging
-I flew Hercules; logistic."

I told him and went on
-and told him everything
-of the life I'm having.

"He could have shot us but…"

Felt tear in my eyes
-while the heat of the love
-boiled, bubbled and steamed.

"We were right in Final
-with Runway were aligned
-our speed was antish…"

Suddenly above us in sky
-was Iraqi Mirage
-to its neck full of arms

"…one bullet, single one
-could set us aflame and
-turn ash, dust on ground…"

I ignored the cause, why…
-of facing the floods of blood.

Suddenly…
Suddenly…

Both nations were victims…
-we were used as price
-for those who made, sold arms.

The, left and right.

The fighter of Iraq
-flew, passed, and returned
-but this time head to head
-as if had finished a Lazy-Eight…

He waved hands like friends
-by using his plane
-and we felt him saying: "Hi, cousins."

"My life and my friends'
-were saved by your pilot
-who could pull trigger…"

"We are not enemies…"
-I told host and hugged him
-we exchanged heated love-
-as do the brothers…
-when one leaves, goes or comes…

"Damn them all…"
-said Qasim…

Though the war is over
-I always hate borders
-between us, human
-in the name of nations
-or gender, or colour…

No hell is worse than walls
-either built or talked of…

I do not hate but hate
-if in me, once, ever,
-will only be of walls
-it will be of the bars
-it will be of the ones
-who talk and advertise
-building wall
Walls!
Walls!
Walls!

Hate the Walls!
Regardless of its how.

Hate the Walls!
Regardless of its how.

Hate the Walls!
Regardless of its how.
I hate them forever…
Forever everywhere
Forever anywhere
Forever all over
forever and ever

Hate scissors and the knives…
-they cut the brothers and sisters
-in the names of colours and cultures
-turning them to mountains and deserts.

Humbly I beg you
-let's break all the walls.

Why should we hear of:
-The North-South Korea?

Why Russia, America
-always talk of the bombs?

Why few have palace?
-many die of hunger, shelter-less?

Why White House, Kremlin?
Why Chinese, Japanese?

Why always my and me?
Up to when?

Me!
Me!
Me!

Let us make bulldozers
-to remove the borders
-with love and united…

Hey Qasim, brother
Hey Afghan and Arab
Hey Turkey to Europe
Hey Tibet and China
Hey seven continents

All people, all ages
-I love you as I must
-to love you I give life
-to share love, let's thrust.