Osama

I know I shouldn’t be glad that

someone’s dead, but I am glad

they got him at last. I’m glad

for the families of his countless victims

and I’m glad, because when I was a boy

he accused me of something I didn’t do

to cover up his own shortcomings,

and he pushed me down a stairwell

and trampled on me mercilessly

because I was smaller than him.

So I joined the army and learnt

how to take care of myself, rather hoping

that one day I might bump into him

and even up the score, but I guess

I won’t have to bother now.

John H Davies

3rd May 2011