Massacre at Houla
She was no more than 10 years of age.
He could have been a grandfather.
Young, old, women, girls, men, boys.
108 lives.
Now they are buried,
in hurriedly dug graves,
on the plains of Houla.
Killed by knives,
shot at point-blank range,
slaughtered, mowed-down.
108 lives.
Snuffed-out. Decimated. Taken-out.
108 lives.
As Damascus lies blatantly,
spewing forth untruth,
108 warm, dead bodies,
remain buried,
in hurriedly dug graves,
on the plains of Houla.
108 lives.
Afzal Moolla was born in New Delhi, India while his parents were in exile, fleeing Apartheid South Africa. His father Mosie Moolla represented the African National Congress (ANC) in India, Egypt and Finland.
Afzal returned to South Africa following the unbanning of the ANC and the release of Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners. He works and lives in Johannesburg, and shares his literary musings with his most strident critic – his 12 year old cat – Scully.
Randomly Accessed Poetics 