I am ashamed that I am Spanish because of Franco
I am ashamed that I am French because of Algeria
I am ashamed that I am Algerian because of France
I am ashamed that I am American because of Bush, Iraq
and the bloodshed once among brothers
I am ashamed that I am Russian because of Stalin, Gulag
and recently of this and that
I am ashamed that I am German because of ******, clearly
(Pol *** appears more and more seldom in the lists, but one is horrified, humanly ashamed, remembering)
I am ashamed that I am English because of football etc
I am ashamed that I am Polish — only when I am not proud
I am ashamed that I am Turkish, but then there are Kurds...
I am ashamed that I am Czech and allowed myself to be stifled

(I am just as ashamed myself — some say, who feel
shame in its extremity and hide weapons in pantries, waiting for that moment
in which they wash away their shame with the blood of traditional enemies)
I am ashamed that I am Orthodox or Catholic and I wedge and split
the mountain on which Jesus bled — before others made even smaller
pieces out of his Golgotha below
I am ashamed that I am Indian because... well, it’s no matter
I am ashamed that being Macedonian I let the Greeks be even more
I am ashamed that I am Korean and one of Kim Ir Sen’s
I am ashamed that I am Korean no matter where, as long as
Kim Ir Sen’s Koreans remain
I am ashamed that I am Serbian, but... let me think
I am ashamed that I am Chinese because: ‘You’re Chinese?’
I am ashamed that I am Romanian because of Ceausescu, Dracula of course

and now, God, all these Romanians all over the world...
I am ashamed of my nation even when I am not ashamed
— but each of us seeks to forget something
I am ashamed because .......... [Everyone: fill in the blanks, write yours here!]

but you, but you — you, only you
you, whose nation filled the desolate earth with life and kindness
you are the man who begins the new day
today
with your first step

*Ioana Ieronim

Dragon upon the scales
Of age, shimmering upon
Glistening moon beams,

Your breath the life of
A thousand stars, cleansing
All that are touched.

You are of purity & fire of
Sin & ash, whisper suns,
& the world is embers of dust.

Pardon me as I stare
Falling in love, as you appeared
Looking too good to be true
Can't take my eyes off you
I heard your voice and I knew
I had already fallen for you
There are no words to compare
the sight of you standing there
Seemed so unreal, as I fear
Felt like heaven to touch
Never felt something so real  
Now I love you so much
The day your love arrived
I thanked god i was alive
Looking too good to be true
Can't take my eyes off you
I love you baby
Everything is alright
I need you baby
let me warm ur night
I’m glad we found our way
Now your my baby
And you're here to stay
And I will love you
All through the night
Until the light of day
Our moment has arrived
I’m glad that we survived
Finally, everything is okay

We're in the middle of nowhere
Except trash bags are our tumble weeds
And the ash is our wind
The broken trees the children
And the fire our kin
The ash moves beneath the dry leaves
The fire plays within the broken trees
And the children die from choking on ashes