A Lament for Bamian, Afghanistan (also known as Bamiyan)
In the morning the tourists have tea and cakes. There is a brightly-coloured pot for everyone. A tall Pathan and a Pashtu negotiate some business; it takes a little while to realize the medium of commerce is English. No tourists taste tea or opium in Afghanistan today. The tea-house, if it still stands, serves Taliban men. The women stay at home, uneducated. The great Buddhas of Bamian are desecrated. Say a prayer or at least lament for Bamian.