2004 Honorable Mention

MOHAMMED ABBASI

WAR SEASON

A struggle begins
The women are restless
The workingmen are gone
The people impoverished
They come to gather fruits
Which are overripe
The aroma of rotting melons
And the tainted grapes
They smell of sour juice
The one full-grown fruits
That nourished thousands
All through the bleak winters
Have become bitter and vicious
The beautiful colors of
Red, sweet apples
Purple, juicy grapes
Green, immense watermelons
Have transformed
The lush, moist and newly picked fruits
Sit on the cold floor
Black, hard and ugly
The scene is dark
The grapple has overcome the grain