Alison Williams
Witness
Weary of the news channels’ predictable narratives and relentless focus on explosions, I seek out livestreams from the Middle East. They bring me the steady beat of rainfall in Beirut, the darkness of crows crossing the Tel Aviv skyline. Once in a while, in the night, I see bright streaks of tracer-fire from interceptor systems. Even more rarely a target is hit, but most often the camera, obedient to official directives, changes focus before the strike, the view obscured at the moment of impact.
a man
meets the gaze of
someone
who he cannot help—
and will not look away
About the Author
Alison Williams is a retired university librarian living on the south coast of England. Her published poetry can be found on her blog Miso Soup and she is founding editor of the tanka journal Quail Eggs.