Gaza

 

When people are real

They can be killed

If they are not real

They are not people

And cannot to be killed

But if they are killed

Their artery sliced

By a white hot

Metal shard flying

Their femur crushed

By something whistling oddly

Too swiftly through the air

Then they are people

Pleasant or unpleasant

Curious or dull

Friendly or grouchy

Not notions sketched by words

Not high-quantity non-events They are people

And if they stumble

Hurrying down the road

Away from their home

And misunderstand

A loudspeaker command

And stop 8 seconds too late

And take a baton to the brain

And stop moving

And if they leave bread in the oven

Because of a dread feeling

In the seventh house

Where they have slept

In 7 days

And trundle down the road

Pushing a stroller

With velvet pillows piled

And a toddler on top Holding a jewelry box

And they become

Hungry and very thirsty

And they learn that

Their next destination is also

Receiving missiles

Then they are people

Real people