The Woman Bomber of Istanbul
In Taksim
Where the shoppers and tourists go
Where the chenars are half as old as Time
Where the Sultan bathed once in alabaster baths
Where women sell themselves nightly
mimicking the
throes of birth
At office-time in that same Taksim Square
An Eastern girl melting with pity
for her imprisoned brothers
Felt herself free to blow herself up
(and other acquiescers
with herself)
to free her imprisoned brethren
And I, separated from my beloved
by his mother
Imprisoned in my attic apartment
Felt myself to be that Taksim pavement
That chenar weeping with Time
That hamam of the unwashed
That human bomb
Which blew up the world
to free herself
11.9.01