Harris Khalique (حارث خلیق)
Friday Prayers
Friday Prayers
In the sixth row of the faithful,
the bomb rips apart,
the five rows ahead
and the many rows behind,
the sixth row,
the bomber.
In the sixth row of the faithful,
the country rips apart,
not once
but always.
Separations are crowded,
puzzling and heavy.
In the sixth row of the faithful,
prisoners are leashed like dogs,
barriers are built in stone,
cluster bombs are dropped,
future is maimed,
verve is buried alive.
In the sixth row of the faithful,
on May 7, 2004,
there are no five rows ahead,
and the many rows behind,
in the debris of Hyderi mosque,
we stand and we cry.