The Ministry of Defence

This is the Ministry Of Defence
Stairs and walls are all that’s left

Mortar holes let through the air
Kids do the same thing everywhere

They’ve sprayed graffiti in Arabic
And balanced sticks in human shit

This is the Ministry Of Remains
Fizzy drinks cans and magazines

Broken glass, a white jawbone
Syringes, razors, a plastic spoon

Human hair, a kitchen knife
And a ghost of a girl who runs and hides
Scratched in the wall in biro pen
This is how the world will end

There’s the bus depot to the right
Levelled like a building site

Those are the children’s cries from the dark
These are the words written under the arch
Scratched in the wall in biro pen
This is how the world will end