The Battle of Aleppo (2012–2016)

The tragedy of Syria and the world's intransigence is breathtaking!

The rubble strewn streets

where corpses lie

amongst the concrete splinters

of Al-Madina Souq and the Great Mosque,

lives split asunder

by barrel bombs

dropped from an azure sky.

A leader who destroys

his people, in the name

of power as he grips it

with a zealots claws;

He used to repair eyes

now he tears them out,

for he can no longer see

the true value of those

thirty-one-thousand

human beings

he put to the sword.

 

20/09/20

Author's Note

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

I saw the ancient city before and after war. So many people lost everything. Syria, once great city wasted by war and hate. Powerful and true words shared John.
Coyote

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Thank you Coyote. This like all conflicts costs too many innocent lives and for nought! Many thanks for reading and you have seen it with your own eyes!

[Coyote Poetry]

A powerful poem and you are welcome John.

[barleygirl]

This line taught me more about Syria than I knew before: "He used to repair eyes, now he tears them out" (brilliant writing) . . . he's such a sleazebag, but now I know he used to be a doctor, somehow it makes his unfathomable crimes all the more reprehensible. Your poem reminds me of how we in the USA used to be tuned into what was going on in Syria, but only becuz our self-serving prez put these outrages front-and-center to further his own macho bullshit regime. Now that other things have grabbed our attention, nobody in the USA ever thinks of Syria, I would wager.

As I catch your between-the-lines warning, I had to wonder if our prez could ever destroy us, since he constantly expresses hate toward anyone who disagrees & demands "his enemies" be prosecuted by the justice department. Of course the situation in Syria is so bad, even the worst official actions in the USA can't compare. But your poem reminds us not to take our relative safety for granted as authoritarian a******s rise up around the world, it seems! (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Indeed Margie it seems even here in the UK Syria and Yemen and other hot spots have been airbrushed out of the news and we have a parochial fixation. Many thanks for reading and being passionate about it.

[Kari Rakitan]

This reminds me of the saying that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Powerful people may lose touch with the plight of average people.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Yes and that is part of the problem in Syria and elsewhere in the world. Many thanks Kari.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I am with Sami...and we have one trying to be here...
a really vivid description here...we felt the bombs...

The world is so unsafe now.

in line 7 did you mean "azure sky"?

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Ha thanks Jacob, should have spotted that one. Automatic spell check is a pain!

[Sami Khalil]

I wish we can get rid of dictators but as you know it is not easy and they are backed by world powers whether the US or Russia.
Oops! Walls has ears...

[John Alexander McFadyen]

If only the world was a simple place Sami. But we judge everything by growth, the demand for more, for better than our neighbour and the hands of power and influence always have blood on them.

[Sami Khalil]

Wow. So true. You are welcome.

[Sami Khalil]

WHOA! A tragedy indeed sir John. You have a great compassionate heart for other people. It pains me to see the images and hear about all those atrocities. I lives in a civil war which was no descriptions to what humans are capable of. I hope the Syrian people can go back to their towns and rebuild better than before and rebuild their lives. Excellent sir.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Thank you Sami. Syria is but one such place. You would think humans could find better ways to settle differences!

[Sami Khalil]

You are so right. And welcome.