The first leaf blows
on the pavement.
The sun tilts a little
in the sky.
An official makes a
statement.
People sleeping in the
open die.
Somewhere the heat’s
still incandescent.
Deadly shells and
grenades still fly.
A supplier firm eyes
the net percent.
People at sea cross to
drown and die.
The world is just one
continent.
The razor wires are
sharp and high.
The public elect their
government.
People, breathless at
borders, die.
We just need a little more compassion.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that is indeed a rare commodity nowadays..
DeleteHi Nila - I've no idea how this is going to be resolved ... I just pray it's peaceful. So desperate and so sad ... a very moving poem ... Hilary
ReplyDeleteNo-one seems to have a clue...no peace for the refugees! I hope it's resolved peacefully too, but the suffering seems to be a constant.
DeleteNo point will ever be taken
ReplyDeleteFor peace one side must die
For if they don’t see it their way
They will gladly rip out their eyes.
They’ll never say which side is which
Or on which side they do now lie
For if they do not do as they say
Some day they will make sure they die
***
As long as humans try to run this world there will be no peace
All manner of best will kill their own for control.
The truth lays deep within our own souls
It is control freakery. Carried to extremes
DeleteAnd yet years from now when it's written in the history books, folks will shake their heads in wonder at the inhumanity, and then repeat it again, and again. Just as we've done through the ages - the circumstances change but the innocent die, and suffer just the same.
ReplyDelete'All wars are fought over money' Captain Butler in GWTW.....Inflicting collateral damage seems to be the distinguishing characteristic of humans. And the inability to learn from our collective past.
DeleteHi Nila. Just finished reading an article in Time magazine, which said that refugees expose the values of the countries they are fleeing to. How can we ignore people who have endured four years of war, seen over 300,000 civilians die, over 7 million are displaced and 4 million on the run? And that's just Syria. There's plenty more in the same 'boat'. Australian, like the US, have been miserable in their response. If karma is real, we'll pay dearly.
ReplyDeleteYour poem is worthy of any paper or magazine who is publishing articles on the post-war refugee crisis. It is raw and believable.
'People, breathless at borders, die.' Scream! Scream!
Denise :-) and :-(
You'd think with the huge experience of wars and displacement in the past, there'd be some kind of a response system in place, apart from shutting people out that is...well, karma does have everyone's address! :)
DeleteThe world needs more compassion .
ReplyDeleteIndeed it does..
Delete