For Tahani Shalalfeh
Their sister was six years old.
They are bending over her body,
which someone has wrapped
in a blanket. The two
small boys — one
older, one younger
than she was — are laying flowers
on their sister
and saying goodbye.
Probably they had been playing
together just before
she was killed. Possibly
they had squabbled
over some toy, some
morsel of food, something
she had that one of them
wanted. Now they are crying.
Now, through their tears,
they are saying her name
over and over, as though
they could wake her.