Stanza 22


22

So Ibrahim sits down and then explains
"It's been a while since God allowed the rains
To raise the water level underground,
But, even so, our pumps and wells are sound
And should have been sufficient for our needs.
Yet every day the water still recedes
Below the level of the day before
And now I know why it drops more and more.
You may recall that thirty years ago
When that Tikriti tyrant made a show
Of giving from his fraudulent largesse,
He forced us from our homes with great duress
And then transported us to where we live.
This relocation we will not forgive.
We had to beg for what he would provide
Before the wells were drilled where we abide.
Now the machinery will sometimes break
As it gets old and I will often make
Replacements to the parts that need repair,
But nothing indicates I should despair.