I Don't Know How to Give You Peace

I don't know how to give you peace,
how to heal your wounds, make your
scars disappear,

I don't know how to ride the wild wind today,
form the sun from this blood-wet clay I hold
in my hands,

O Israel!
O Palestine~

You were radiant then, in your olive groves~~
your loaves of bread broken in friendship,
your fish bountiful, unspared...

I don't know how to carry a cross
across the ocean,

your exodus of narrow streets, black veils of
mourning,
our tears filled with Gethsemane,

I don't know how to scrape fear from the bottom
of my begging bowl,
I don't know how to summon the dove of peace,
find that far land time has forgotten,
needing no amends.

Saalam. Shalom. Peace.

— Kailashana, Jan 01, 2009

Critiques

Kailashana

17 years 5 months ago

If there is to be peace in

If there is to be peace in the world, There must be peace in the nations. If there is to be peace in the nations, There must be peace in the cities. If there is to be peace in the cities, There must be peace between neighbors. If there is to be peace between neighbors, There must be peace in the home. If there is to be peace in the home, There must be peace in the heart. -- Lao Tzu (570-490 B.C.) Now read it from the bottom to the top: If there is to be peace in the home, There must be peace in the heart. If there is to be peace between neighbors, There must be peace in the home. If there is to be peace in the cities There must be peace between neighbors. If there is to be peace in the nations, There must be peace in the cities. If there is to be peace in the world, There must be peace in the nations. ~A "All in all, it's just another brick in the wall." Pink Floyd There are no walls except for the ones we build. ~me~

poewriter58

17 years 5 months ago

Anna

No words can describe how beautiful this poem is. Filled with feeling and emotion. Excellent wording , well written Chrys

Kailashana

17 years 5 months ago

Thank you for your kind

Thank you for your kind words Chrys; I pray this is the year that perhaps poets will no longer have to write poems like this.... and we can concentrate on the art of lovemaking ;-) Hug. ~Anna "All in all, it's just another brick in the wall." Pink Floyd There are no walls except for the ones we build. ~me~

Ink Dragon

17 years 5 months ago

Anna,

a feeling we share, thank you for your beautiful words, Ink

Kailashana

17 years 5 months ago

Dear sister-soul, I was born

Dear sister-soul, I was born near Munich after the war... so peace is in my bones... Congratulations on the Spotlight. I am grateful for your poem & the recognition of our Neopoet family to the poem and the plight of Palestine and Israel. Pax, Anna "All in all, it's just another brick in the wall." Pink Floyd There are no walls except for the ones we build. ~me~

themoonman

17 years 5 months ago

Anna...

if only more people thought like you our world would look much brighter with each new day... love your words Anna you are a peaceful warrior! Richard

Seren

16 years 6 months ago

I dont know how to carry a

I dont know how to carry a cross across Oceans but I do know we reach and touch ... this is like a prayer ... beautiful I feel like i should be whispering quietly in respect ... bravo again and again ... love and hugs Jayne x x

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