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!