Beirut is not for grabs, for crabs or the sea monsters from the North
Beirut is not Ottoman, nor an automatic toy to wind by neighbors
Just for fun, for crime, for the howling of infants burning in the sun
Beirut is not for Syrians, not for Kurds, not for Tanks and Radio Jamming rockets
Of Southern friendly neighbors, nor for France and England to wipe their arses
Ever so politely, sitting in cafés, spying on big Russian Bear or their Cowboy friends
Beirut knew magic, had flair, belly dancing fairies preparing the feast of gods spread bare
Beirut knew multilingual choral symphonies on beaches and mountains green and white
Red with the envy of fangs foreign, frightened, ruthless intruders, malicious in their hate
Beirut is bleeding under the failures of its ill-wishers, from the Gulf, from the sea, from the air
Yet 18 confessions all together and rare, shall sing in one voice once again undeterred
Beirut is not for Turkey to carve up, to dissect, to distract from Iran, Teheran, hell.
Bedros Afeyan
Pleasanton, CA
8-8-2020