Re: [A-List] To poets against the war

["Christopher Black" <bar@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Title: To poets against the war

Gerard,

 

Here is another that Harold Pinter sent me a few weeks ago. I think it can be sent around.

 

"God Bless America

 

Here they go again,

The Yanks in their armoured parade

Chanting their ballads of joy

As they gallop across the big world

Praising America's God.

 

The gutters are clogged with the dead

The ones who couldn't join in

The others refusing to sing

The ones who are losing their voice

The ones who've forgotten the tune.

 

The riders have whips which cut.

Your head rolls onto the sand

Your head is a pool in the dirt

Your head is a stain in the dust

Your eyes have gone out and your nose

Sniffs only the pong of the dead

Anda ll the dead air is alive

With the smell of America's God."

 

Regards,

 

Chris Black

 

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Smith, Gerard

To: Craven, Jim ; ''marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx' ' ; ''a-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx' ' ; ''Jan Schaefer' ' ; ''Lakotawan@xxxxxxx' ' ; ''Tokalasa@xxxxxxx' '

Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2003 11:55 AM

Subject: [A-List] To poets against the war

Thanks for the poem Jim.  Here's one for those poet/peacemakers whose newfound conscience still inspires a limited courage.

To Poets Against the War

        for Adnan Hamideh

Israeli incursions over his grandmother's house,

over the theatre where he watched American movies,

over the streets where he once threw rocks,

not at tanks or soldiers in anger or hatred,

only at chickens scratching circles in dust.

Bethlehem surrounded his childhood;

now surrounded by death his memories change:

with each message from home another loss,

not from old age in bed, nor with loved ones,

not from natural causes sudden or predictable.

Resolutions of condemnation mark his life;

decade after decade calls for peace,

decade after decade broken promises, non-compliance:

in the year of his birth cease-fire violations;

year after year excessive force, deportation, death.

Alarmed at the reoccupation of Palestinian cities,

the severe restrition on freedom of movement,

the humanitarian crisis faced by his people,

he reads UN proclamations that have no force

against terrorist fears and one democratic voice.

Around Rahmallah, Jenin, Hebron, and Gaza

a ghostly green line draws tighter, draws nearer;

around refugee camps will wires stretch taunt,

will fences turn gardens into ghettoes?

who will speak out against this war, this genocide?

                        Gerard Donnelly Smith