Mascot
Sitting at his desk he hears vehicles,
raised voices, puts away his ink
drawing: the side toes of eohippus
receding to a hoof. He wipes his fingers
on his handkerchief.
The soldiers shoot storeroom locks, wound
two of his staff. Their commander
has sent them for souvenirs: vases, helmets,
antique swords, gold. They unfurl
Hessian sacks. Hurry, they shout. Hurry.
What they don’t take
they smash. Floor tiles, icons, Jamil’s brass jug
of boiled water and the jam jar
in which his teeth (worn when
ministers used to visit) sit smiling.
They rip to confetti his beautiful, fine
line drawings and the manuscript of a book
he was writing for schoolchildren.
He has no money, no wedding ring
so they punch. Kick. He curls up
like one of his fossils, stifles sobs.
The soldiers get bored, leave. Ribs fractured,
cheeks shattered, he holds his handkerchief
to a bleeding, broken nose, leans by the window,
gasping. Blurred shadows
are laughing, tying a stuffed lion
to the front of their lorry.
Page(s) 30
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