Lorne Shirinian: For Two Armenian Soldiers Killed in the Iran-Irak War

April 9, 1987

Click here for the audio segment For Two Armenian Soldiers Killed in the Iran-Irak War read by Lola Koundakjian.

Earth
welcome Henrik Der Hovhannissian
of Shahinshahr
and Heratch Hagopian
of New Julfa
two Armenians
forced to fight
yet another prophet's battle

You will find them
lying between the front lines
and the fleeing troops
holding on to each other in death
they are yours now

Accept this poem
in exchange for their memory



From the volume, Earthquake: Poems by Lorne Shirinian
Mellen Poetry Series, Volume 16, The Edwin Mellen Press, Lewiston, NY 1991. Printed here by kind permission of the author.