One More Lost Soul

she was five
a stick-thin little girl
with her whole life ahead of her
she was innocent
oblivious to all the war
the genocide around her
she was beautiful
her dark skin glowed under thed sun
her big curious eyes twinkled with delight
she might have been anyone anywhere else
but she wasn'tshe was in DARFUR.

they took her father first
her mom told her he was away hunting
but he never came back
then one moonless night
they came and took her mom
while they dragged her away
she screamed that she was leaving
leaving to find her husband
they never came back
then one daythey came for her

she was fetching water
for her neighbors
who had taken her in
she was smiling like always
but she was starting to worry
there was smoke coming from the village
and loud popping sounds
and screams
she didn't think she'd ever forget the screams
they were begging for mercy
to anyone, to everyone, to no one
she stumbled to a stop

the man in front of her looked mad
but what had she done wrong
why was he so angry
what was that thing around his neck
it looked like a chain of shiny gold beads
they were beautiful
she wondered if he'd let her touch them
or even if he would let her keep one
she was still wondering
trying to find the words to say
she opened her mouth to ask
but she was already dead

she was five years old
a stick thin little girl in Darfur
she was innocentshe was beautiful
she should have lived
she should have had a chance
but she didn't
like so many others in Darfur
and now she's just another casualty
just another body
just another dead
one more lost soul

SAVE DARFUR.