prejudice and life

by Ali Ashhar

A side of coin flips 

bills are passed

some weapons are sold

other side of coin flips

a life is bought

with the currencies of prejudice and pride

news breaks out in the town

but, somewhere down the hill

an estranged mother awaits

her grandchildren ask, 

“When will Dad return home?”

she gives her best

to deviate their mind, but only

for a while

they ask again

this time she replies 

he has gone 

to a distant market 

to get some food 

not knowing that

he will be back

without bidding them farewell

in the midst of war —

motherhood was left devastated

and nascent dreams of childhood crippled. 

Ali Ashhar is a poet, short story writer and columnist. He is the author of poetry collection, Mirror of Emotions. His works appear in Indian Review, The Raven Review, Bosphorus Review of Books, among others.