Poem: For Khurram, You Choose To Fight

the river burns 

fish die, war is unending

home is a battle field

many walk past, but not you my friend,

not you; you choose to fight

each day, steady, singleminded

on one foot -

you speak fearlessly 

to power

you journey for justice

a peace that disallows forgetting

many walk past, but not you my friend,

not you; you choose to fight

each day, steady, singleminded

on one foot -

you pay dearly,

all costs, a limb, pieces of skull,

friends, blood 

your daughter’s laughter 

that you don’t get to hear

your son’s tears that you cannot dry

your beloved craving your hand

your mother calling your name

we keep drawing

from the well of your strength 

behind the bars, still the freest-

many walk past, but not you my friend,

not you; you choose to fight

each day, single minded, 

steady, 

steadier than those 

digging the heels of their two feet

that are destined to falter