Ara Shirinyan: “Afghanistan is Great”
from YOUR COUNTRY IS GREAT
“Afghanistan is Great”
Afghanistan is great, but much smaller
than previously assumed.
the need for education
in Afghanistan is great
and must be met quickly,
need for food in Afghanistan is great,
well-acquainted
with unique problems
facing Afghanistan.
The need for tough, dependable,
locally repairable wheelchairs in
Afghanistan is great.
A mountain. An airplane. Aviation in
Afghanistan is great fun.
Pipeline via Afghanistan is great.
There is no question that Allah’s
knowledge and love of Afghanistan
is great
even as he regrets
the limits of his understanding.
Ara Shirinyan was born in 1977 in, what was then, the Soviet
Socialist Republic of Armenia. Since 1987, he has lived in Los
Angeles, where he writes and is editor of Make Now Press. His first
book Syria Is in the World will be available in June, 2007 from Palm
Press. With the group Godzik Pink, he released two CDs (Es Em, Ekel
Em and Black Broccoli) on Kill Rock Stars/5rc. With Stan Apps and
Teresa Carmody, he co-curates The Last Sunday Reading Series at the
Smell in Los Angeles (an all ages punk/art rock club that he helped
co-found in 1997 and briefly ran for a year). His work has appeared
or is forthcoming in Word Ways, UBUWEB, Greetings, Trepan, Combo,
Area Sneaks, Tuli & Savu among others.
