Symbiosis - Bruce Dawe

Symbiosis

On the road to Manhattan
Two men happened to meet,
Each had a mission to realise,
Each had a foe to defeat.

One was seeking a vision
One, an objective ahead,
And each saw the other as evil
--To be converted - or dead...

Then a light from heaven shone round them,
And they both (and twin towers) fell down,
And they both cried out to the One above:
This shall bring us renown!

While one saw a sign from the future
That the works of Satan were through,
The other went down on his knees and said:
Lord, what shall I do?

Then each rose up and, blinded,
Was led, by the hand, in the dark,
And both found a place to be martyred
--And the name of the place was Iraq.

Copyright Bruce Dawe, published 29.3.08 The Australian