Erasure

•

Ernesto, wandering aimlessly in the desert,
                          dreamed of water.
Radwan, preparing to die, listened closely
                          to his instructions.
Abhinav, boarding a train for Kashmir, worried
                          about the border crossing.
Sabra, sitting in the outdoor café, gazed curiously
                          at a car pulling up to the curb.
Umeko, falling asleep on the subway, dropped
                          her book on the floor.
Rashida, holding her arms above her head, screamed
                          as mud-brick walls imploded.
Eshe, lying in an infirmary cot,
                          was too weak to even speak.