Oh Tigris, Oh Euphrates watching Greek armies,

Roman archers, legionnaires armed to the teeth, British

forces, American military, empire-building further, further

east and south across your deserts, hills, ravines, cities,

villages, their shape-shifting alliances, offensives, counter-

insurgencies, crushing the centuries old silk-trade routes

 

Oh Tigris descending Armenian highlands,

Oh Euphrates born in Kurdistan, watering Kunsa’s

garden of Eden, marrying as one grand current sweeping

through Basra emptying into the Persian Sea

 

Oh Tigris, Oh Euphrates witness of Greeks, Romans,

British, Americans sighting enemies over the next ridge,

ever expanding military exploits taking a toll on men,

women, children, plants, animals, here and at home:

the homeless, the unemployed, the sick, the orphans,

the widows, the aged, the rich richer, the poor poorer

 

Oh Tigris, Oh Euphrates seeing generations of generals

crossing your sacred shores, their unquenchable thirst

for wealth, power, influence, aiming to outdo others,

not forgetting Alexander’s legendary exploits in Persia

 

Oh Tigris, Oh Euphrates birthing Babylonian, Persian,

Shiite, Sunni, Kurdish girls and boys by your endless flow

of waters, while the Greeks, Romans, British, Americans

sought your artifacts, resources, strategically set

at the crossroads of civilization, Oh Tigris, Oh Euphrates.