…From my world to Gaza…

Speaking out of ignorance
I do not even know the shape of your burning country
What can I say?
In the news this morning
Arab Jew burning
Friends of friends of friends
Dying
Killing themselves
Only twelve hours away
Silence in my room
I cannot hear the death we make
While I read philosophy
And write poetry
And worry about my health
And the health of my friend
And the planes over Gaza
And the bombs in Israel
And it has to affect us all
Formless
Insistent
Like these futile words
Peace and war occur together

.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2008 01:50AM by petersz.

See Merc's comment on the 'You Peoples' poem by theworld2.

Peter this is very relevant. I feel others have looked on the scene and thought the same thoughts, compare this:

Now in my line of work I seem to see a lot more than most
Write 'em down, pas 'em around
It's the gospel from the coast
Reflections, not just replays
Takin' time to escape the maze
Lookin' for better days

I spent a year of my life one night
On the beaches in old Beirut
Seems that all they're aimin' for there
Is to hang around and shoot
Each others' lives away
Bloody winds on a distant bay
They're lookin' for better days

Looking to the left, looking to the right
Looking to the stars to shed some light
Hoping for a breath, hoping for a break
Hopin' for the give without the take

The dreamers line the state road
Just to watch the runway show
Slouched behind their steering wheels
They just watch the big jets go
Streakin' through the morning haze
Focal point of a distant gaze
Lookin' for better days

--Jimmy Buffett from Floridays

Les

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2008 05:24AM by les712.

Thanks, Les. You bring something special to the table.

Peter

Peace and War occur together
and as they frivolously celebrate
nothing rises to the occasion!

Thanks for the read.

K.Q.

I was looking for something on Gaza, anything really. Desperation and frustration color my world these days. I stumbled upon this. I like your poems. I always do.

"I cannot hear the death we make"

I disagree, they, we, you and I, we hear it loud and clear. We just can't take action against it. We can do nothing.

I'll contradict myself, by disagreeing with you once more:

"Like these futile words"

No, they are not futile. Writing them down, saying them. Expressing opinion. The message;our quest must be admitted, must be made known. So that maybe, just maybe, these words would inspire someone, empower them and inform them so that they may be able to take action, to do something for this world.

I don't know, maybe I'm just desperately hanging on to the strings which hold humanity intact in my eyes.

Appreciated,
Startle

Thanks for responding, Startle.

And it has to affect us all
Formless
Insistent

Peter