Halloween

Little Sammy steps out in the street

Dressed up as a fearsome fellow

His face is pale, his fangs are long

His jacket bright red and yellow.

Sammy goes tricking, Sammy goes treating

Brings home sweets with a happy sigh –

While his parents watch horror movies

Zombies, ghosts or human fly.

Little Abdul steps out in the street

His eyes all wide and wary

Clutching the edge of his checked kaffiyeh

A shield against a world so scary.

Somewhere above, in the inky sky

On soaring wings, a shadow flies

A finger moves, a lever pressed

A roar, a flash, and Abdul dies.

Sammy’s parents sip red wine, and kiss

Abduls’ weep their child’s red blood

Somewhere, fear’s sold in the marketplace.

Somewhere, it comes in on the flood.

Sammy’s parents will go off to work

Tomorrow, Sammy will run off to school

And Abdul’s father - 

Abdul’s father will pick up a gun.

And there are no more rhymes

In his world

Or in his wife’s

Ever again.

Copyright B Purkayastha 2015