Mahmoud lives in a tent
on the rubble of his life.
This is my house.
This is my library:
my broken books.
This is my home.

The Israeli children
throw stones, jeer.
The Palestinian children
throw flaming bottles,
broken cement.

500 settlers,
2000 soldiers,
120,000 Palestinians.

The terrorist enters the restaurant,
lifts his shirt,
says, “Do you know what this is?”
13 dead,
80 wounded.

Mahmoud says,
This was an oasis.
There were date palms,
lemon groves, birds of paradise.
This was my home.