A moment of harmony in Beirut –

We suddenly heard from one of the houses

Bach music beautifully played -

The whole company stopped

To hear the music.


The pianist played beautifully

And the whole company stopped and

listened to the exquisite harmony.

The bombs did not succeed to stop us –

but a sixteen year old girl

Playing Bach music -

Stopped us!

A young boy runs to me

and asks for a sweet,

he spreads his amputated arm

without a hand -

"Who did that to you?"

I ask aghast,

"Entum!" - "You!"

he answers timidly -

his apologetic bashfulness strangles

my shocked shame.