Tongues twist 
tattling tales of impurity— 
like where we went to bed 
last night and what we drank for 
dinner.
Generations upon generations 
have built this land
your father’s father’s grandfather…

who is her mother? 
where did she go to school? 
What does her father do? 

we watch ourselves afraid 
they will unearth 
our secrets.

We once thought 
we owed them nothing—
the pashas and the princes
lazy dreamers ablaze in
fiery hope. Now we rest 
in judgement and in blame. 

Today we gather our 
prestige and hang it 
at the door.
We soak ourselves in
limestone and in barley
A new world order 
in the making.