BLOOD CALLS
Muezzins of Kerbala! Muezzins of Najaf!
Wake all true hearts anew, summon no riffraff!
Hearken now, hearken now, Iraqis give ear,
Come at your faithful vow, Sunni and Shia!
Come from the cities, and from sites blessed afar,
For war front and slaughter are come to Falluja.
Come every pulsed vein and true arm that bares one,
Come every full heart and torn sleeve that wears one.
Leave untended the herd, the home without water,
Leave the corpse just interred, the fatherless daughter.
Leave your gear, leave your fear, leave ravaged houses,
Lavish your hot blood here, and rage it rouses.
Rise as the winds rise with sandstorms emerging,
Rise as the streams rise when rivers are surging.
Stronger come, stronger come, stronger and stronger,
All Arabs, halt and hale, tarry no longer.
Fast they come, fast they come, see how they rally,
Wide waves their tricolour, all one for Ali.
Mark alarms, all bare arms, pour forth your blood due,
Muezzins of Falluja, Iraq has heard you!
(Apologies to Sir Walter Scott)