Keith Garebian: FIBONACCI POEMS

1. MAT                                     2. DHIMMI

To                                             I’ll
be                                             tell
a hai                                          you why
is to be                                      some dhimmi
a mat for the Turk                      speak only Turkish
on which to wipe his dirty feet      they risk having their tongues cut out

3. SULTAN                                 4. RITUAL
 
A                                                Let
man                                            us
who sits                                      torture
on his throne                               rape and kill
drinking, eating, and                     then pray to Allah
murdering with bejeweled hands     the All-merciful for reward

5. BOY COLLECTION                      6.  HAMID’S DINNER
 
Did                                               Was
they                                              his
desire                                            squash stuffed
boys for work                                 with fresh
or sexual pleasure—                        young Armenian flesh
Hamid’s Ottoman officers?               served on a warm silver platter?


7. CIVILIZATION                              8. TURKISH NERO

Is                                                   The
it                                                   mad
Europe                                           Sultan
cleaning knives                               makes music
with elegant cloth                           while Armenians burn
for the mad Sultan and his killers?    in a wholesale ethnic cleansing