The Tower of Babel

by Stephen K. Pettersson

The Tower of Babel casts shadows 

on the wicked and wayward world below. 

It pierces the bright blue sky and dips its tip 

like a man-shaped quill in God-made ink. 

Behind its sunsoaked bricks and glimmering mortar 

lies a sanctuary I’ve built for you and me. 

Here, our tongues know no language 

but the sacred language of us. 

But there’s a crack, a flaw, a chip in the foundation 

and the fracture sends our heavenly haven crashing down. 

Now, my name on your lips is as foreign to me 

as your unsteady hands on my hips. 

Och jag kommer aldrig att veta hur jag tar farväl. 

(ولن أعرف أبدا كيف ارد)

Cover image: The Tower of Babel by Abel Grimmer (Public Domain)