Monday, 1 September 2014

Thought for the Day


I never was one for poetry. I loathed it as a GCSE English student, spending my time analysing war poems by finding the most contrived hidden meanings possible and was never one, particularly, for writing them either. In fact, I have only ever written one poem and the less said about that, and the recipient, the better. But luckily for me, considering I have always wanted my blog to go beyond the usual prose about Israel and my life, I have friends who can write poetry. One, Adam Kayani, recently posted the poem below to his Facebook page and I reproduce it below. To convey a message so important and meaningful in rhyme is a skill I can only look upon with a mix of envy and pride. It's one that needs to be shared. Consider it your thought for the day, perhaps? Read on, share and enjoy.

People are dying all over the world right now.
Dictators, renegade generals and corrupt politicians all hold power
In countries where life expectancy these days is measured in hours.
They live it up in villas, chalets and wear Hugo Boss,
While the mothers of their people lie in the dirt weeping at their loss.
Their husbands, daughters, young sons and homes,
have been blown to bits by passing drones,
While behind a Macbook Pro in Washington DC
Sits an USAF cadet celebrating a great KD.
The western Champions of democracy and defenders of human rights,
Enforce 'international law' using raids in the night.
People have enough and rise up to topple their oppressors
Only to end up with leaders much the same as their predecessors. 
We are bound upon a wheel of fire death and pain,
All for no conceivable gain.
The dollars stack up and the oil keeps flowing,
All the while the panic keeps growing.
Groups like the Taliban, Al-Qaeda and ISIS,
Go on the rampage causing an international crisis.
"They must be stopped! They're barbaric!"
The journalists become hysteric.
In desperation the West turns to the East for help and assistance,
They make a deal with the devil to end the resistance.
The crisis will pass and danger is averted
But the murderers and despots have not been converted.
Instead they now bear the seal of approval
And become immune from democratic removal,
Free to reign supreme over all that they see,
As long as they and their masters' foreign policies agree. 
And so people continue to die all over the world right now,
We watch it on TV and read it on twitter
Debates on Facebook get increasingly bitter.
But at the end of the day we turn in for the night,
Power down the laptop and turn off the light.
We go about our lives and complain about trains
and how our mums and dad are intolerable pains.
We do nothing to influence the men of influence and power,
Who sit right beneath our most famous clock tower.
Who live and work in our country and city 
Brokering deals, makes speeches and attending committees.
Why don't you take five minutes or any time that you can avail,
To fire off a tweet, letter or email.
Because only those who are enlightened and privileged as we are
Can make a tangible difference to places so far.
Its up to you to stop the people dying,
To dry the tears of that mother who's still crying.
People are dying all over the world today,
Its up to you if you think that's OK.

Adam Kayani