Running Orders

[Warpy]

They call us now.

Before they drop the bombs.

The phone rings

and someone who knows my first name

calls and says in perfect Arabic

“This is David.”

And in my stupor of sonic booms and glass shattering symphonies

still smashing around in my head

I think “Do I know any Davids in Gaza?”

They call us now to say

Run.

You have 58 seconds from the end of this message.

Your house is next.

They think of it as some kind of war time courtesy.

It doesn’t matter that

there is nowhere to run to.

It means nothing that the borders are closed

and your papers are worthless

and mark you only for a life sentence

in this prison by the sea

and the alleyways are narrow

and there are more human lives

packed one against the other

more than any other place on earth

Just run.

We aren’t trying to kill you.

It doesn’t matter that

you can’t call us back to tell us

the people we claim to want aren’t in your house

that there’s no one here

except you and your children

who were cheering for Argentina

sharing the last loaf of bread for this week

counting candles left in case the power goes out.

It doesn’t matter that you have children.

You live in the wrong place

and now is your chance to run

to nowhere.

It doesn’t matter

that 58 seconds isn’t long enough

to find your wedding album

or your son’s favorite blanket

or your daughter’s almost completed college application

or your shoes

or to gather everyone in the house.

It doesn’t matter what you had planned.

It doesn’t matter who you are

Prove you’re human.

Prove you stand on two legs.

Run.

Running Orders by Lena Khalaf Tuffaha

http://footybedsheets.tumblr.com/post/91760690527/running-orders-by-lena-khalaf-tuffaha

[TubbersUK]

1. Powerful, thanks for posting. n/t

[calimary]

6. Welcome to DU, TubbersUK!

Glad you're here. Powerful indeed. You said it all. Really can't add to that.

[BillZBubb]

2. Kick!

[bvar22]

3. I haven't the words,

so I will just repeat Post #1:
Powerful!

[1monster]

4. Kicked, Recommended, and Shared

[LoisB]

5. WOW! I can't add anything to powerful except that this needs to be seen by

everyone.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

7. And Magen Blue changes to black and red...

The Palestinians are the victims of the victims while our nations leaders are stifled by the guilt of the past.

[LoisB]

8. Very well said.

[Duppers]

13. excellent: "stifled by guilt of the past."

[democrank]

9. So powerful

"run to nowhere" indeed

~PEACE~

[awoke_in_2003]

10. Wow...

K&R. People seem forget that these are human beings, with lives and families.

[Moostache]

11. K&R .... people should really feel this as they read it....look around at YOUR stuff.

If you had 58 seconds to run for it, where would YOU go?

[alfredo]

12. excellent

[Duppers]

14. k&r

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

15. Kick.

No hasbarados have deigned to roll their eyes so far at your post.

Perhaps they are too busy ignoring reality and chasing phantoms.