`1915'

	By Meredith Z Avakian


	Call me genocide
	Call me rape
	Call me extermination
	Call me slaughter
	Call me massacre
	But never call me a lie

	The systemized, strategized murder of masses to a particular demographic
	The havoc
	The elimination, extermination planned to a nation
	The concentration camps...before Jews were stamped
	My people were cramped 
	Into mass burial graves
	We were not born as slaves
	Yet forced to behave
	By means of obey
	A God that's not ours
	And give our bodies for free
	And by give I mean take 
	Because there's nothing consensual about cold-blooded rape
	Followed by slaughter
	To mothers and daughters
	While the heads of men became trophies and sat on sticks 
	Till all the blood drained out
	It's straight sick
	As if that's not enough
	They were put on display 
	As a lesson to obey
	But the damage was done
	Before we could run
	Because we were forced to march
	Until the end was the start
	And the start was the end
	Starved. Hung. Shot. Raped. Dehydrated.
	Just to name a few
	Of the obstacles to die through
	Antagonized. Sadamized. Ridiculed and more
	How dare they call it a war

	Call me genocide
	Call me rape
	Call me extermination
	Call me slaughter
	Call me massacre
	But never call me a lie


--
Meredith `MZA' Avakian is a spoken word performance poet who has been
writing poetry for nearly a decade.  During the last several years,
she has been performing at open mics, poetry slams, talent shows and
art showcases and Armenian churches throughout the East Coast.  Her
work focuses on life in its rawest essence - love, hate, politics,
ethnicity and sex.  MZA is a native of New Jersey, but currently
resides in Philly, where she graduated from Temple University with a
degree in public relations.  She currently serves as the editor of
DuPont Network News, the DuPont Co.'s daily, global, electronic
newsletter.