|
|
Olivia McMahonPoems |
|
The copyright in all material appearing on this website remains with the authors. No part of this website may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owners. |
East Timor, September 1999
Olivia McMahon
How can we sit eating here
on this boat bound for Rotterdam,
being served by an Indonesian waiter in his uniform
of white shirt and bright blue waistcoat
and say nothing
while in his country other men in uniform
are killing torturing raping?
I'm sorry about what's happening in your country -
the words form on my breath.
Is everything all right? he asks,
and I say Yes.
