(This poem is written so that people see a light flicker for a better Earth and happier lives, and in so seeing, translate into the languages of the Middle East, these words for each to use…)
Intended as current thoughts from the peoples of the Middle East, to others in their own and neighboring countries.
“My Neighbor, here is the truth as I see it. We have suffered unthinkable indignities. We have suffered from heinous crimes. We pray, yet bleed.
“We try, yet are rebuffed.
“Our dead lament the failures of understanding. Our living curse our enemies, yet we want to understand. Somehow, I know you feel – deep within – as I feel, that there may be a way to understanding – a way to stop the pain.”
Child to Child
“The bomb killed my mother.
She screamed as she fell on me to keep me safe.
Does not the “cause” of this war know my heart has been torn out?
Does not the “cause” know it is creating a hardened soul – who will grow up…?
“Child of my neighbor, country to the east, I know you feel the same.
We do not want to continue the agony. Have you a plan for peace? I’m looking… “
Mother to Mother
“Why work I so hard for a happy home,
healthy children, an educated and prosperous family;
just to have my husband and sons and daughters shattered by hate and distrust, gun shells and explosions?
“Why? I still cannot fathom the reasons for this torture. I know you ask, “Why?”, too.
“I cook with love for my family; I share recipes – just like you,
though our countries fight each other!
I make myself beautiful for my husband – as do you.
I kiss my children goodnight; my mother kisses her grandchildren – does yours?
“Do not our enemies know that when our families bleed – we, the mothers, bleed? When our families die, motherhood dies.
“Who will carry on the race? Do you ask, mother of my neighbor nation? Do you ask this too?”
Family to Family
“We saw you lose all in the fire.
We see you in the refugee camp.
We ask you, who started this?
Is this “warring” to be humanity’s destiny, never to be alleviated?
“Yes, we have compassion, and would that we could wave our hands and you would be whole again.
“Somehow, inside, we know such wars will not persist; cannot persist; somehow we know that humaneness and sound reason will abide again, within and without.”
Student to Student
“I studied today of advanced societies, of religions, of Allah and of God. Did you not glean from your studies that there is a paradise of wisdom to be won and of knowledge to be regained – as did I?
“I then listened to the news…
“I say here – I recoil from the perpetrators of this fighting!
At the same time, I comprehend their torment. Shall we forgive them? Let us just shun them, for to kill them with guns, as they do us,
sinks us to their levels of circular hell. The contagion stops here!
“Civilizations have been prosperous and peaceful for centuries! With all our learning, we can create this, too, me and you.”
Worker to Worker
“Does your sinew and wit “ache” pleasantly like mine? So much of ourselves we give for sustenance! We’ve earned the right to speak for what is right.
“Your soldier shot in my window, towards my wife!
Would I have my soldier kill your wife? No.
You would have told your soldier, “No,” if you but could. I see that. I see that deep within my heart I do not condemn your nation.
I know that you, my fellow worker, do not truly condemn mine.
“It falls upon you and me to speak out.”
Professional to Professional
“You and I, are our counties!
It is we who conceive our future’s path. It is we who implement its course. Our countries need our help. We can stand back no more!
Join me on a peaceful path to peace.
“There must be rational courses of action! Together we can find it.”
Soldier to Soldier
“Yael, today I heard my dream girl singing to her friend.
My blood surged and I knew hope and promise for the future. Your army fired the missile that killed her…
“Abdul, if I could only turn back time! If only!
Why do I do some things my country feels I must?
Does my country really want this murdering done? I think not. I have a sister who sings and gives us all tears of hope! I feel your loss.”
General to General
“In my home town your troops trod and ground my people under.
Inhumanity and torture you dispensed to my townsmen, my friends!
I feel an accursed loathing of all you are and represent! I want to squash you!
“But wait! A report comes in. My troops have captured, beaten and burned your leaders. They were your friends. My searing hate subsides. I do to you what you do to me. If I do more to you, you do more to me – and so on, and so on, and so on…
“What is this now? In counterpoint, a memory re-visits… Last month I saw an opera and visited an art gallery in Paris…
“Such divine creativity man is so capable of! I’m in the wrong business!”
Political Leader to Political Leader
“We war but are sickened by our own mad decisions, made in errors of information and action.
We wretch and wither, in the sanctum of our hearts to see the death wrought, the treasures of man’s noblest efforts trampled.
“I am not bad, nor are you. What caused us to commit these errors? We did not want to, but were we “told” it was the only way? Dare I reverse my path? Dare I speak of this?
“Let us turn our backs to all conflict and black persuasion!
Let us overcome these pressures
For we have the intelligence to find the noble, non-violent solutions.
“We must talk – past all our hate – and continue to talk – until understanding is reached.
“Does the machinery of war, finance, and illogic ultimately outweigh that which I know is right? Would I die for what is right? Would you?
“Would I reduce my wealth?
Would I speak honestly, from my very soul? Would you?
“(I have five children, too. They are beautiful! Who creates their future, if not us?)
“Difficult? Yes. Do-able? Yes.
Only then, on my death bed, could I hold my head proudly.
“We will talk.”
Me to You
If you write with your right hand and I my left, if you eat only the leaves and I only the roots, when I woo my love with music and you with dance, wherein lays a reason for hatred or distrust? It is not there. Culture, differences, fresh viewpoints enrich us –
As do the ever changing sunsets and dawns…
Who are you shooting when you pull the trigger?
Does not your target help others and grieve and love, too?
To hate is understandable. To strike out with it, inexcusable.
Could the hatred be from whispered words of evil? Words from elsewhere? Words from ourselves? It is there we must look for cause.
Know that the true perpetrator of war is hidden, and this hidden “he” does not get shot or killed in the misery he creates…
Mark well these words:
Just shun this ‘cause’ and he cannot harm us. Be no longer his slave. Remember though, kill him and we kill ourselves.
Remember, too, we are not puppets.
Let no one pull our strings but ourselves!
However, be wise enough to willingly “be pulled” toward sane goals.
We have within us the knowledge to create a lasting peace, an inspired culture, a thriving world! Gaining these for ourselves and each other – is this not the nobler pursuit?
We cannot quench war with rage nor injustice with prejudice.
We make peace with positive creativity. We create fairness for all with rational solutions. Create your own responsible and compassionate solutions – share these freely with others.
Earth has in places as well, codes and models that do work peacefully and create happiness and prosperity. These codes and models are proven. Just look and see.
Find these codes and models – old and new – localized and wide-spread… Use them.
Is mankind not a free race?
Laurie Noelle
Copyright 2012-2022
All Rights Reserved
Given freely to the people of the Middle East and Earth to download and pass along to others.
