childhood songs of the taliban

boy........has already

called

down

enough

favor!...And

God

has

invoked......his silent

judgement!

Kazoos

lie in

mourning,.....they are

never.....(more)

out

playing......He

quells

resounding.....desires;

stuffs................insatiable ears: and

turns them in......to the Mullahs.......every one: his

unpolished

violins,

whimsical

xylophones,........and

yellow

zithers.

Comments: 28

JustMe ~I'm happy to be~ Nov 1, 2009, 11:10am EST

Wow.............

Atticus *. Nov 1, 2009, 10:42pm EST

Thank you Little Red. :-)

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Ann M. (Site Scryer) Nov 1, 2009, 12:37pm EST

This is incredibly sad. A childhood cut short by indoctrination for warfare. I love what's between the lines, Atticus. You are now featured at Gather's Best.

Atticus *. Nov 1, 2009, 10:42pm EST

Thank you for the feature Ann. I appreciate your comment so very much.

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Chris Brockman Nov 1, 2009, 12:45pm EST

This is remarkably poignant. Children and women, easy targets for ideological bullies.

Atticus *. Nov 1, 2009, 10:43pm EST

Yes indeed they are, and have always been. Thank you Chris.

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Jennifer Lee Nov 1, 2009, 12:46pm EST

Thank you for introducing me to this form. You excel at it.

Atticus *. Nov 1, 2009, 10:44pm EST

Hey Jenn, This is Susan Budig's Mindful Poetry form of the month. You should write one.

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Kathryn E. Nov 1, 2009, 12:47pm EST

very sad, and reminds me of the child soldiers of Africa... but an excellent abecedarian.

Featured in the Triple Name Club.

Atticus *. Nov 1, 2009, 10:45pm EST

Thank you Kathryn, I really appreciate the feature and your comments.

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Georgiana S. Nov 1, 2009, 3:00pm EST

very poignant piece!
northern ireland in the 70s was like this too.

Atticus *. Nov 1, 2009, 10:47pm EST

Hi Georgiana, Thanks for the comment. I can imagine there was a lot of repression in Northern Ireland at that time. Interesting parallel.

Georgiana S. Nov 2, 2009, 1:48pm EST

It was when the IRA was really on the attack. I lived in London and it was like a war zone, chicken wire on restaurant windows as bombs were too often being thrown thru restaurants, then they started putting fish hooks on the bombs so that they would blow up their targets anyway. i recall hving the feeling that each step up any road could be the last, car bombs and kids throwing them. They recruited kids to do their dirty work even then.

Atticus *. Nov 2, 2009, 6:22pm EST

What a difficult and horrifying experience that must have been Georgiana!

Georgiana S. Nov 2, 2009, 9:00pm EST

yes, and no. I was in my twenties and the whole swinging London scene was prevalent. if I had stopped to digest the situation I probably would have been more worried.

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JOHN BECK Nov 1, 2009, 3:18pm EST

Way to use the alphabet and make a sad observation in doing so, Atticus. Well done.

Atticus *. Nov 1, 2009, 10:48pm EST

Thank you so much John.

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C.F. Stewart Nov 1, 2009, 3:50pm EST

Superb though sorrowful tale of children never allowed to be so. Pleasingly singular use of the A-Z form, Atticus.

Atticus *. Nov 1, 2009, 10:49pm EST

C.F. my friend thank you so much.

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libramoon C. Nov 1, 2009, 3:59pm EST

born alive
singing bloodstream
tambourine beating heart
growing into rhythmic locomotion
open to the prevailing winds and woods
bit by bit becoming aware
our songs devolve to dirges