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Tragedy in Iraq
A Sumerian woman's ancient lament to the spirit of war  
Anonymous, Poem

22 March 2003

Enheduanna's Lament to the Spirit of War

You hack everything down in battle...
You slice away the land and
charge disguised as a raging storm,
growl as a roaring hurricane,
yell like a tempest yells,
thunder, rage, roar, and drum,
expel evil winds!
Your feet are filled with anxiety!

Like a fiery monster
you fill the land with poison.
As a rage frrom the sky,
you growl over the earth,
and trees and bushes collapse before you.

You're like blood rushing down a mountain,
Spirit of hate, greed and anger,
dominator of heaven and earth!
Your fire wafts over our tribe,
mounted on a beast,
with indomitable commands, you decide all fate.

You triumph over all our rites.
Who can fathom you?

circa 2300 B.C.

(Translated into English by Daniela Gioseffi)

(Sumeria is present-day southern Iraq)

From Women on War, Daniela Gioseffi (ed.) 1988. Touchstone, New York.
Tragedy in Iraq
A Humanitarian Tragedy: from Islam Online
War In Iraq:  ; Radio Free Europe
Iraqi child victim of bombing in Baghdad
Voices In The Wilderness: Nonviolence.org
'An eye for an eye.. and soon the whole world is blind"
~ Mahatma Ghandi ~
Stop the War: Ellsberg.net
Activities Against War: Not In our Name
Another opinion: Jihad Unspun: A Clear View of the U.S. War on "Terrorism"
Body of an Iraqi infant war victim

 

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