Where Evil Lies

The chain moves on.
The guns are ablaze,
there is a desert in hell.

Powerlessness corrupts absolutely
and the fragrance of death
is so enticing to the impotent.

Guns ablaze,
bombs blast,
souls are murdered
and someone feels alive
for a moment.

There is a desert in hell
where blood is dried up,
where compassion is disemboweled 
and the day heat fuels a frenzy.

The smoky cloud of zero
asphyxiates the soul
and religious rage explodes.

This desert is around us.
It’s a desert of fear,
a desert of desperation
that leads to a place of desolation
where evil lies on a bed of militant ignorance.

 Jack Zaffos
USA
Contribution to American World Jewish Service