Written On the Forehead

People throwing dinars at the belly-dancers In a sad circus by a trench of burning oil People throw belongings; a lifetime's earnings Amongst the scattered rubbish and suitcases on the sidewalk Date palms and orange and tangerine trees And eyes are crying for everything (Let it burn! Let it burn!) (Let it burn, burn, burn) (Blood! Blood! Blood! Blood and fire!) So I talked to an old man by the generator He was standing on the gravel by the fetid river He turned to me and then surveyed the scene Said, "War is here in our beloved city" Some dove in the river and tried to swim away Through tons of sewage; fate written on their foreheads Date palms and orange and tangerine trees And eyes are crying for everything Let it burn, let it burn! Let it burn burn burn Let it burn, let it burn! Let it burn burn burn Let it burn, let it burn! Let it burn burn burn Let it burn, let it burn! Let it burn burn burn Let it burn, let it burn!