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Sonnets From Other Lives: Osama

He’s a stranger in a stranger land
than he’d imagined. For here wealth creates
anxiety. He doesn’t understand.
Our native bluster masks it so it takes
effort for one to see behind the curtain.
Upon hearing his unfortunate name
authorities quickly adopt a certain
edge. Hands drift toward holsters. At the same
time he’s all too conscious of his hands.
He has come here for an education
& he’s learned things this land he hadn’t planned
on learning. e.g. How the strongest nation
in the world fears him. It’s now clear
why: We don’t see it is ourselves we fear.