719 | Unanswered – Germain Droogenbroodt, Belgium

Unanswered

Her arms spread
as if she wants to embrace Heaven
the Afghan mother begs food
for her starving child.

But her prayers
touch neither human
nor Heaven.

***

The Garden of Eden

Paradise
has not been lost
all those centuries
it continued to exist
but not for everyone.

Germain Droogenbroodt

Translation by the author and Stanley Barkan