Al Mumeet

In memory of the victims of
The 12/26/04 Aceh earthquake

My heart has been flooded
By a tsunami of grief
Words submerged
In a tide of horror
Only now is the sorrow
Beginning
To trickle away
Tear by tear

Oh Allah!
Did You need to prove to us
The might of your name
Al Mumeet
He who Brings Death?
Had we forgotten?
Lost faith
In Your power?

Or were You angry
That we have arrogated
To ourselves
Your title
Rwanda
Iraq
Cambodia
Germany
Palestine
Bosnia
Gujarat
New York
Darfur

Were we in need
Of a reminder
That You have imbued
Our souls
With kindness?
Were we short
On subjects
For compassion?

Or were our hearts
Too hard
To be softened
By the stream
Of small tragedies?
Children consumed by cancer
Houses leveled by fire
Hearts attacked
Brains stroked
Kidneys stoned
Did we need a deluge
To bring us back
To our senses?