Iraq Poem by laura bean

Trash on the roadside,
oil wells burning.
little children in ragged clothes
selling unwanted item to no one.
Turn left,
turn right
Stop here. No light.
Pile of stones and open sewers
contrast with the
Bright faces of a new Iraq.
Tormented no longer,
the people show strength alas
Singing at night
the verses of the holy Koran:
Allah is great
hurry up to pray
Mohammad is the prophet....
It soothes and comforts the listener.
Prayer beads remind me of the
Eastern beliefs in the heart
of the Irasqi people.
Every house cement and bricks
Locked gates.
Fences and barricades
armed guards everywhere-
everyplace.
Security or normalcy.. I do not know.
Cemented walls I'll never forget
Every door has a lock. mortored memories
of Iraq stuck in my mind forever.