This poem is taken from PN Review 199, Volume 37 Number 5, May - June 2011.
Dr Saad Eskander
First they came for papers of the Ministry: memos,
inventories, minutes. Speeches. Lists of names.
Next day his staff were diligent. Re-shelved, re-boxed.
He swept the broken glass out with a broom.
Then they came with fire. Black-windowed jeeps
hilted with canteens. How he forced the faith
in his body's durability, and his hand began
to bubble as the leather popped on the spine.
...
inventories, minutes. Speeches. Lists of names.
Next day his staff were diligent. Re-shelved, re-boxed.
He swept the broken glass out with a broom.
Then they came with fire. Black-windowed jeeps
hilted with canteens. How he forced the faith
in his body's durability, and his hand began
to bubble as the leather popped on the spine.
...
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