“Hope you are well. I don’t know if you heard, but my father was beaten until he was unconscious then arrested with two of my brothers in law. We still don’t know where any of them are.”<\/p>\n
The Pearl’s Pillars<\/strong> Five arms stretched from the ground Their reflection was a wide glow in the dark night<\/p>\n Shining down on the peaceful crowds Five arms stretched from the ground Five arms came down with vengeance She stood there Five arms stood no more The red seeped through the earth “I promise you words The young voice drowned his pleas So the tribe caught her Plays of deceit Slowly but surely I am forever only Bahraini!<\/p>\n
\nby Maryam Al-Khawaja<\/p>\n
\nEach palm embraced the pure limp bodies in shrouds<\/p>\n
\nFive arms stretched from the ground
\nEach palm held a cry of “Allahu Akbar”
\nHeld a revolutionary song
\nHeld a poem of defiance
\nHeld a scream for freedom<\/p>\n
\nPalms covered with a grave of flowers
\nFingertips pointing towards the heavens
\nA mother’s tears celebrating a wedding\u2019s last hours<\/p>\n
\nBut heroes stood their ground
\nFlowers in hand
\nBullets were the only answer they found<\/p>\n
\nFlag held high
\nThe red splattered blood on the earth
\nAs the remaining white screamed “I am peaceful!”<\/p>\n
\nLike the fresh buds of spring
\nArms emerged from every futile earth
\nRising above lands
\nDiseased with money and power<\/p>\n
\nWith the cries of the martyrs’ children
\nThe ground shook
\nAnd the throne broke
\nKing came down on his knees
\nIn the air echoed the crown prince\u2019s pleas<\/p>\n
\nWords worth your blood
\nCome now, don’t delay
\nCome to dialogue I say
\nHand in hand
\nPull me out from the quicksand
\nAnd in this dark hour
\nHelp me stay in power”<\/p>\n
\nThus into hiding he fleas
\n“Accountability, accountability,
\nYou have lost your credibility
\nWhen your army shot our sons
\nUsing U.S. made guns”<\/p>\n
\nand beat her with knives and swords
\nThen showered her with stones
\nAs they cried to the world
\n“Stone her she is sectarian
\nShe eats at Lebanese restaurants
\nAnd owns Iranian rugs
\nOur unarmed tanks she hunts
\nNo we swear those are not our thugs”
\nAnd foreign hands played the melody to their cries
\nAs they spread propaganda and lies<\/p>\n
\nCreated by their playwrights
\n“You are Shiaa
\nEvery year
\nWe discover and foil your plan
\nOf overthrowing our clan
\nIn the restaurant you were trained
\nAnd the rug in conspiracy we framed
\nClose down the restaurant
\nThe rugs tear to bits
\nQuickly quickly
\nBefore they discover our fibs”<\/p>\n
\nFrom beneath the rubble
\nA fist emerged
\n“Do what you will
\nMy voice you cannot kill
\nMy land I will never betray
\nAnd from the path of righteousness I will not stray
\nI stand against every foreign intervention
\nWhile you invite them to kill and put my people in detention
\nMy determination will not heed
\nNor will your plays succeed
\nFor I am not Shiaa
\nNor am I Sunni<\/p>\n