Khadija Idris of God's Weary eye

 

Tearing across the ocean

Screeching,

blood

red

purpose.

You find me, cowering in my bedroom.

 

I never knew you,

But faceless girl,

Your name haunts me.

 

Khadija Idris

Your death scorches my

Frightened heart.

 

17 years old,

anger flared in your breast  

when the Janjaweed tried stealing

your cattle.

When they beat you to death

And stole your family’s livelihood,

I hope their mouths became

forever filled

with a nauseating taste of blood.

And I hope their vision became stained with red,

As a constant reminder that

They

Murdered

You.

 

Death echoes across the dry, vacant, Saharan Desert.

God’s weary eyes

Robbed of his compassionate vision,

Must be blind.  

 

Forgive me for being human

And forgive this imperfect world

For not preventing your death.

I wish I knew you.

I would take your hand and we could float to heaven,

returning God’s eyes.

 

 

Author's Note

Khadija Idris was 17 years old.
She lived in Abu Gamra.
One day soldiers were trying to steal her cattle.
When she tried to stop them, they killed her.
She was a victim of the Genocide in Darfur.

http://standcanada.org/

Reviews

[Verin]

Well thought out and articulated in a very real way. I get a sense that this is how your thoughts may have flowed as you heard or read about the story. There is a lot of emotion embedded here. Sorry it took so long for me to start looking over your writing.

[WildAssociativeLeaps]

Thanks... this poem came from a very disturbed place in my mind... it's truly frustrating to know we have very little connection with the people that live in this world... and with the terrible things that happen to them. To be able to feel empathy for a person you've never met in a place you've never been feels shallow and untrue... is it empathy or is it guilt?

No worries, glad you got the chance to now!

[Verin]

I think it tends to be more sympathy than anything else. We're a little too disconnected from it all to feel proper empathy. But we reflect on what we have and wish for others to have it too. We want others to have the happiness and the chances we've had.

[TC Dunn]

wow… very moving. And about something so tragic. How sad for that little girl to die over something so stupid. It really makes you stop and think, "what's this world coming to?" Great job in making the reader think.

[...]

. heartbreaking ...
. a similar thing is happening to Naxalites here in india ...
. the government and corporates are stealing from people in tribal areas ...

[WildAssociativeLeaps]

I'm sorry to hear that... it's such a disgrace that money takes priority over the human condition and it's a disgrace that all I can offer is my regret. May we all dedicate our lives to improving the human condition so that we can offer more than regret.