I don’t want to be a pilot

(this is a fictional account of a kid in Middle-East Asia suffering the drone attacks from the US)

mom,

i did my homework
for the day,
can I now go out
and play?

dad doesn’t let me
run on the streets,
i miss those games
and all my fleet

there’s a bad bird
he once told me about,
who flies in the sky
and makes everyone shout

i never see the bird
all it looks like
is a plane,
i wanted to fly one
until one day
when i saw someone in pain

he asked me to run
to hide myself
he never told me why,
but whenever i see
the plane again
it reminds me of your agonizing cry

did it also hurt you?
dad never told me
did you ask him not to tell?
i wish you could answer
or even read this letter
i want to show you i learned how to spell

i’ll come back soon
and visit your grave
and like i promised, stay away from the riots,
it’s time to sleep
and pray for peace
and i promise i’ll never be a pilot