Her hand circles a growing belly her voice is soothing as she coos to her baby there is love in her heart and a vision for tomorrow her dreams start to settle for her, the future is clear she has no doubt he’ll go to school study hard learn his lessons and keep moving up he’ll become a scientist invent a cure for millions fly to the moon explore the mountains of Titan knowledge will be his companion and he’ll follow his dreams with love in his heart and a vision for tomorrow she rubs her belly and smiles to herself her son will be someone he will change the course of life he’ll be remembered in every history book he’ll be a monument to the goodness of mankind.

He goes to school studies his scripture he learns of God’s love mixed with hate the book says God must smite those not like him that is his will, his will be done his father’s friends expose open wounds an oozing anathema without wisdom, just hate their hearts fill up with impending doom freedom they cry is vengeance the blood of their enemies is joy the boy forgets to study mesmerized by male pride he straps a bomb to his chest killing his enemies and himself with hate in his heart and no vision for a future his martyrdom will be all he has become the people will remember him for a day or a month, perhaps even a year until all the history books will sum up his life in a single, lonely dot at the end of a paragraph about the fallacy of suicide.

© 2005 Sara Coslett