Afghanistan (August 25th 2021)
-FOR HEELAI
Watching TV at home.
Twenty years of history
undone
in not much more than
two days.
What happened
to the person I studied with?
The woman
who moved back to Kabul
and founded
a feminist magazine?
She has a family now.
She has a kid.
Hoping
she is among the refugees,
I constantly watch my phone,
hoping it will ring,
as the old regime drives in.
~
Hollywood
When managers audit a factory,
we workers call it Hollywood.
Because
we make all your dreams come true.
The floors are clean,
the assembly line in perfect order.
Not one thing out of place.
No cursing: perfect discipline.
Everything in perfect shape.
Then the manager
goes out the door
and everything
just dissipates.
We have a tight schedule.
Don’t you understand?
Everything follows this principle.
An increase in production.
Supply and demand.