How to say salaam?

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Satish Verma

The prelude was short.
I say I am going to die in your hands.
What Akhmatova will say?

I solemnly declare, my
date has arrived. I want to give, one
by one piece of my body to each vulture.

A voice zooms. What do
you do? You want to drink blood, or venom,
or hemlock given to Socrates?