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Shadow of Fear
To the children of Iraq… In repining memory of the days of their
long sufferings and life under the shadow and in grateful remembrance of the
day of their liberation from fear
I
I breathe the Shadow of Fear…
The pungent scent of radiating fright
Visible to my senses but invisible to mine eye
Fumeth my lungs, hazeth my sight
Putrid smokes whiffed through the casket
Across desolation these dreadful float
Such a scent a poison to my being
Without a cure but death, ‘tis my only antidote
II
I live in the Shadow of Fear…
My home a desert room devoid of walls
Like a giant window needless to peek
Scattered roof of thin clouds, parapet of seldom rainfalls
The heat of the sun embraceth my whole form
My shield is a cloth of a blinding dust storm
My bruising skin's my shelter, my pale blood my cure
My food is without taste, my water without pure
III
I breed the Shadow of Fear…
He groweth unweary -- stronger every time
The daylight is his darkness, the moon is his sun
A trouncing prey he is to the stalking Kurdistan
He wisheth the endless night and the nations asleep remain
Forever, for calmness is contained within his reach
Only when the Arab eye its staring at him hath ceased
Fearful of the dawn when the eye again is to breach
IV
I revere the Shadow of Fear…
I follow his disorders for his orders are of the unwise
I believe his disbeliefs for his beliefs are all vile
I see not his love for what cover his heart are lies
He's a god of his own evil appetency
He’s a god I can see, but not see me
He’s a god I can hear, but not listen to me
He’s a god I should care for, but not care for me
V
I sail on the Shadow of Fear…
My voyage is death, my ship is my suff’ring
The ocean beareth the weight of my ship
And the ocean is mine offspring
I pray to be blown by the good wind away
Away from the clasps of his violent thunder
But the republican wave forceth me to mine only destruction
To vociferous storm he stireth my feeble rudder
I have no goal but I have a journey
I have no aim but I have an objective --
My journey is sorrow; mine objective is to endure
VI
I dream the Shadow of Fear…
Whence I sleep layeth none but darkness
Beyond I see an expanse of further darkness
I hope there is hope within me, wish I a falling star there will be
I slumber with sleeplessness, on top a bed of stones
On a cushion of sand resteth my weary spine
I am afraid but I hear not the pounding of mine heart
I am at rest but I can tame not this anxious mind
VII
I speak the Shadow of Fear…
I have my voice but he is mine only tongue
I can only say a thing, and that his only name
He claspeth my throat, refraineth from crying my song
Even my pray'rs were not spared of wings to reach the heavens high
He sayeth sacrifices are made, for that he sacrificeth my legion
He sayeth his religion will save my soul
But ‘tis my soul destined to save his religion
VIII
I fight the Shadow of Fear…
But the foe is ubiquitous and I am strangled with chains
He is fortified with fools, his kingdom is my prison
I gain my strength only when I am aware of his pains
But his strength is all of my weaknesses…
He pierceth mine heart with his sword of deception
And mine heart shedeth the blood of his lies
My sight is getting dimmer, the truth is no longer seen
I crouched with defeat, the oblivions rise
IX
Fainted for many years…
But the day I awoke, I saw the angels of Allah
Reigning down the streets of Mesopotamia
I new battle hath appeared!
To rescue me, I came!
To defend the weakness in me, I came!
To open the gates of hell and destroy the prison walls
To feed my hungry children, I came!
X
I saw myself fighting, but with a different body
I saw myself a victim, but fear alone is to blame
I saw myself as bait, pricked with a rusty hook of his trickery
I saw my innocence withered, by his carnage and shame
I saw myself dying, but with a different core
To conquer the Shadow of Fear thereto
Came I hither to fore!
Hence, fear shall I…
Nevermore!
2003
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