I find Syria in a banquet-ing hall in Vereeniging
on the corner of an avenue and Joubert
Syria is on the big screen, inside the loud video, the technical problem,
the pathetic procession in a silver suit that takes to the stage
with a hop, in a bow and a scrape, and,
inside the stand for the man who speaks statistic
and on all the logos, on the VIP name tags
pinned on us
We are on list s. We have put ourselves on lists.
We have no war here. We are impended.
Syria is my mirror on the wine bucket, not a mirage
but a desert, also in silver, shining, empty to match the glasses
We call for water and the waiters’ sweat glistens in the spot
While we wait for the fruits of the vine (and aircon) but find none
Though I think I see Syria, again, there, in satin
on the sash of Miss Vereeniging herself, emblazoned
at the replete round table, next to ours
She is not Fadwa Soliman no and I
am not either
And this is not Syria. This is Vereeniging.
Images: Vereeniging Banqueting Hall from the parking lot; footprints cut into the doorway of the Ain Dara Temple, Syria. Sourced with thanks from the Commons Wiki. The Ain Dara temple might be King Solomon's Temple and it might not. It probably is not but what do I know? What? They have found similarities - you can gistologise this yourself on the pedia. Syria will never be Vereeniging though I found it there.
