Musab with Bullet Holes

Posted by: brucetaub

Musab - a poem written after visiting Musab (pictured above) at the apartment house he lives in in Nablus. B.R.Taub

I am Musab, six years old
Two days ago Israeli soldiers surrounded our house at 2 A.M. shooting
Helicopter gunships illuminated the night
Their rotors like giant fans hung from the sky
The whine of rockets like angry birds
Here 4 bullet holes through the door of the room where my brother sleeps
Here the shattered windows
"Take your clothes off, all of you," the Israeli soldiers yell
Then father was handcuffed
Taken as a human shield to the apartment of uncle Hussan
Where bullets pierced another door
Pierced the chest of the old man opening it
Who bleeds to death for want of an ambulance
His body is removed
The soldiers withdraw
But brother is still crying
My city Nablus is still occupied
The old man remains dead
And I am Musab, six years old.

Check out the BCC article on what happened to Musab's family if you want to read about these events from a different fictional perspective.