Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)

When the shells had ceased their falling

The young muslim and the serb

Listened for the old man's music

But now not a note was heard

And fearing what had happened

Each did, what should not be dared

And made their way through no man's land

To the old medieval square

They arrived at the same moment

In the cold december air

But neither pulled a weapon

For each knew why they were there

And they walked over to the fountain

And found him laying there in death

There was blood upon his face

The smashed cello on his chest

But then a single drop of liquid

Fell from out the cloudless sky

And it fell upon the cheek

Of the man who had just died

And the soldier felt a shudder

For the worst had come he feared

When the only sing of pity

Was a single gargoyle's tear

He turned to the young woman

And he said let's leave this war

But a soldier and his uniform

Was all that she now saw