1. Can’t We Live as One? By Katharine Wiley Destruction All around me Rocks all around A bomb goes off I trip over my clumsy feet I feel as if I’m falling Like there is no bottom to this endless plunge The ice cold wind bites my cheeks Young kids run and play in the streets Parents watch and smile As if nothing is wrong As if everything is all right Even though I feel as if I’m still falling A bus blows up nearby Children and parents scream I drag my feet along the ground The soldiers yell words in a language I don’t understand My arms ache I don’t know where I’m going I stumble again But I stumble on a rock this time I feel pain in my left leg The soldiers look down They whisper words quietly among themselves I still don’t understand The sky turns a deep gray and rain begins to fall My leg stings from the rain water rushing down from the sky I believe that my Jadd and Jaddah are crying Crying for me Crying for the horrible things that happen down here In this Holy Land I want to be with them I want to cry with them for I don’t wish to stay down here I want to know what it is like up there But mostly, I don’t want to be here on earth I would go any place that is not here The clouds part in the sky and the rain comes to a stop My leg feels better The soldiers let go of me I’m unaware of where I am It’s dark and cold And as soon as I know it I’m floating up there with just memories That will soon be Forgotten.