each
brick
made from
water
clay
and
flesh
the flesh
of old men
raped women
and
generations of children
whose lives
are pressed
into a mold
of slavery
and
dried in fires
of baronial greed
and
all the while
well dressed
pakistanis roll-up
their prayer rugs
so that
they may
sip morning tea
while
watching
a sunrise
of wealth
and they began to build
they made bricks with fire
and the bricks were formed
from the human clay of children
and the children’s parents
so too did they use
any defender of a child
or savior in sacred text
cementing them together
with crushed bone mortar
which came from greed and lies
mixed with innocent blood
thick and dark as asphalt
to fuse the bonds of hate
that held each brick in place
for centuries
built by masons of war
who knew the secrets
of their trade
placing each brick
in a kiln of lies
then cured by human ignorance
so that each brick would withstand
the blows of truth
and couldn’t be chipped
by the sharp edge of knowledge
and the wall
still stands
at her parent’s home
she waits
while he tends to the fire
that forms the
bricks
curtains
furniture
lamps
utensils
all made of
clay
sold
and saved
as a dowry
for his love
who like him
is made
from the same clay
we
like all boys do
made from mud and bricks
a dam
to hold back the flood of tears
which fell as rain
from the eyes of angels
so that we might sail our ships
across this ordained
yet demonic sea
ships made from
now forgotten dreams
and small pieces of wood
with sails
of gum wrappers
and string
and when our ships were ready
we began our journey
to lands uncharted
within our minds
in the summer
after the sun has been turned off
the old people like roaches
seep out of the smoke covered bricks of their apartments
and pause upon the metal escape routes
shaped like the bars of a prison
and stare upon the street below
as if they could see a model-t
Read Between the Minds 