What would they tell the World?

They fought and they battled it hard.

At stake, as always are sovereignty and pride.

They came from all corners again and again

They seemed to be possessed, running out of breath,

You could say chasing their own death,

Instead death seemed to be scared,

Trying to keep its distance at arms length.

And those who were fixated gazing at the open space,

For fear of being sprinkled with fiery pebbles of lead -

Some cleaved to the rocks as do lizards the raptors to evade,

Some remained in their foxholes but all same shot dead.

And rumours they began to spread,

It said, these are not Ethiopian pilots,

It is either the devilish android that does the job unmanned

Or mercenaries not only for secured emolument,

But sordid manias that needed to see blood split for enjoyments.

However, after extreme endeavours,

When they brought down one,

At Burie front line,

They found all innuendoes none,

Except charred bodies of heroic Ethiopians.

Knowing as we do the Eritreans,

This time round what would they come up with,

In defence of lies uttered through the teeth?

Copyright Haileselassie Girmay

16/2/99