Human

 RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR: ISRAEL AT WAR

Human

 

Are we not human?

Do we not bleed?

In the name of humanity

Have mercy we plead

 

It is a time of grave danger

The cry of vengeance is loudest

Near the heart of deep sorrow

And the sorrow builds

Sorrow upon sorrow

Until it is changed to burning rage

And the tears of sorrow

Become tears of pain

And the end of pain is vengeance

 

A child of Palestine

Is a child of the earth

If you possess a heart

You acknowledge his worth

 

But vengeance is a forever thirst

The more you drink

The more thirst you feel

It can never be satiated

It grows and grows in leaps and bounds

It ravages all whom it entices

It replaces the heart with a blackened thing

That poisons all it touches

 

Hold on to Humanity

 RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR: ISRAEL

Hold on to Humanity

 

As our pain becomes unbearable

As we brace ourselves for what’s in store

A word of caution to all involved

Do not become what you abhor

 

We are proud of our civility

We must hold on to our human core

But while we suffer and we mourn

Do not become what you abhor

 

A thousand ways to hate and kill

All saints of mercy we implore

Let others do what others will

Do not become what you abhor

 

Hang on to human dignity

Do not be tempted to that door

We must retain our basic values

Do not become what you abhor

 

All is fair in love and war

We’ve heard it many times before

But we must never be those people

Do not become what you abhor

Hamas

 RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR: ISRAEL

Hamas

 

You attack women and children

Old men on their pensions

Young people at dances

You commit unspeakable crimes

Against nature and humanity

You kill without care as if those

You kill understand your rage

As if your victims deserve your wrath

 

You know well what follows

You expect and even welcome it

You bring this upon your own people

With eyes wide open, hearts closed

With wicked smiles of sarcasm

When the Gaza underground

Is reduced to stone and blood

When your people plead for mercy

When your mothers cry and your

Fathers break down in mourning

Will you still wear that crooked smile?

That knowing smile of horror

Will the blood of Israelis still comfort you?

Will you still taunt your enemy?

Will you still beg for more?

 

Hamas is no longer a cause or party

It is an instrument of terror

By dehumanizing your enemy

You have dehumanized yourselves

The Promise

 RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR: GLOBAL POLITICS

The Promise

 

You have given your solemn promise

Before your god and before the world

That you will do all in your power

To avoid the killing of civilians

 

You have said so of your own conscience

Though your enemy has made no such vow

You have sworn to uphold a higher standard

Even while your people were slaughtered

Even while your children away burial

You have given your word even though

Your blood boils with rage

 

It is this promise upheld that divides you

From your enemy

What they may perceive as weakness is

What makes you stronger

You have the strength of conviction

You have the fortitude of principle

 

Now you must hold true to your word

No matter what atrocities transpire

Despite the cries for blood vengeance

No matter how many loved ones fall

 

Voices for peace have called for

Safety zones and cease fires

Let it be so

They ask for time to evacuate civilians

Let it be so

They ask Egypt to open its crossing

Let it be so

 

Let the world observe you decency

Let the world observe compassion

Let your enemy bow in shame

The Way of Vengeance

 RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR: GLOBAL POLITICS

The Way of Vengeance

 

The way of vengeance is always wrong

It is born of righteous rage

It satisfies the suffering soul

It fuels the flames of hatred

It sings a righteous song

But the way of vengeance is always wrong

 

The cries of mourning in the air

Move and pierces every heart

We yearn to answer blood for blood

A sense of rage forever building

All sense of balance gone

But the way of vengeance is always wrong

 

This path will lead to endless war

The innocent will suffer most

A generation lost to bitter rage

A circle of death and suffering

The siege is brutal and long

The way of vengeance is always wrong

 

A mother screams her child is dead

A father cries we will not rest

Until the streets are colored red

The rage of sorrow never ends

The chain goes on and on

The way of vengeance is always wrong