On Children
And a woman who held a babe’s corpse against her bosom said
"Speak to us of children"
You may give them your love
You may house their bodies
Your children are not your children
They are the sons and daughters of Death's longing for itself
On children, a war on children, in every corner of the world, who relate to these thousands of little dead bodies
On children, a war on children, whether rich or poor, privileged or not
On children, a war on children who cannot dream anymore
On children, a war on children who beg us to stand on Gaza
On children, a war on children in this ongoing nightmare
On children, a war on children who keep silent, speechless
On children, a war on children who draw watermelons instead of rainbows
On children, a war on children in every corner of the world who cannot feel secure anymore
On children, a war on children who neither at night nor during daytime can find peace anymore
On children, a war on children
Salima Bouyarden is Doctor in Mediterranean and Oriental Studies from the University of Strasbourg. She specializes in identity, Islam and globalization issues.