Monstrous Devastation

           Two succesive blasts

     threw Nairobi into death and despair.

    A cloud of dust and smoke is ascending.

     Heralding the birth of terrorism  

in a city reminiscent of peace and morality.

    But, is it Hiroshima or is it Nagasaki?



A strange smell of flesh is renting the air

    Our blood is washed away to waste.

At end of town the media is shooting breaking news.

  Thousands dead and maimed and traumatised

because Ufundi House came down to its knees

     Killing and killing as it goes..

  And even you great Kenyan mountain.

You have shocked your head in great sadness.










Author's Notes/Comments: 

Terrorists bombed the American embassy in Nairobi, Kenya in 1998 killing more than 250 people with more than 2000 injured.

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Shaketa Copelin's picture

Very moving poem. Were you there when this took place?