Art and poetry on page and stage

gift box

12

Ilka Scobie

On the Destruction of the 7th Century Winged Bull
   of Assyria in Mosul, Iraq

The crowned head represents intelligence
No sapient shards penetrate the hatred
That shatters ancient artifacts

Horned caps were added to the secret tree
of life as a good luck charm
Cursed luck creates decapitators,
book burners, woman haters

Wings, sovereign power’s symbol
Soaring possibilities denied to
freedom seeking women
imprisoned by ferocious fundamentalism

Words survive sledgehammers
O, for the cuneiform’s curse:
Whoever would destroy the creation of my hands,
Let the great lord destroy his name and posterity on earth

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