HAVE YOU TRIED AFGHANISTAN?

Have you tried Afghanistan?
Its medieval warriors sharpen swords
and smoke wooden bowls of hash.

In the high hills of that country
they build towns without mortar
wedging sharp rocks for walls and round

stones for sills. On the plains,
a different tribe tries to live
without trees, without rain,

driving goats on the road from Islamabad.
You say, that it's not too difficult
to imagine a whole desert-borne sadness

that cuts each man and woman
like an angry god not pleased with his
own madness blossoming like sand

verbenas out there, in the desert.