These people,
who look like good people,
like people I pass every day,
smile and give thumbs-up
as they hold to the camera a photo
of the man who masterminded murder
of thousands just like them.
The Absurd is never a stranger
in the brutal Theater of War:
Israel destroys Beirut
to find a few needles in its haystack,
but would they understand someone
levelling their neighborhood,
to look for a few 'bad apples'?
Would they feel that justified
the loved ones blown apart,
the screams and amputations?
But these Israeli soldiers,
whose grandparents died at Auschwitz,
have a trust to protect their people
so that horror won't happen again.
Once you start rolling back history
to look for a first, just cause,
you reach the beginning of time —
meanwhile, there are new
provocations, and the carnage
goes on,
until...
Rolling back the pages of time to the beginning to find the causes - interesting idea. Wonder what would be our attitude if we could roll the pages of time FORWARD to the end of time? ? Scarlett
This isn't as good as the piece you posted earlier Max. I think this comes across as preaching to the converted. There are also assumptions made in this which I find dubious (but that's another story) . That said, I think the final two stanzas are excellent.
Max. Excellent. Thought-provoking and accurate. And shame on... so many. Nothing to add, except for a thank you. t x
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
It's so hard to write a social conscience poem without it becoming didactic, which I think happened here and some of your other recent work. However, my sentiments are with you.