Both Sides Need Peace Poem by Shalom Freedman

Both sides need Peace-
We need it to survive-
You cannot destroy us
Or have us destroyed
Without yourselves being destroyed-
And we neither want to nor can destroy you-

But if you persist in not willing to truly accept us
And we cannot find a way to compromise on our dream
And we go again to War with others larger than you on your side
Disaster will come to us all-

We need Peace
If we are to survive here
The coming generations of both of us
Need Peace
Not because we Love each other
Or will ever Love each other
Though a certain limited Friendship may still be possible-

But because Peace is in the best selfish interest of each of us-

For you to survive
For us to survive
For you to prosper
For us to continue to prosper-

Let us compromise and make Peace
And live partly together and partly side by side-
In the best way we can-