Accursed gates forced open eighty years ago
My mother still a child, eighty years ago
What happened there must not be forgotten
Even fire could not cleanse the earth, eighty years ago
Listen to the gnashing and grinding of teeth
At prising apart Hell’s jaws, eighty years ago
Oh Israel, how could a nation born from this
Let one man lead you here, like eighty years ago?
Oh humanity, stop and bear witness
Do not recoil from the truth of eighty years ago
Hold hands across oceans, open your hearts
Swear, no repeat of that hate of eighty years ago
In just one woman’s lifetime, the wheel’s turned
Are we back where that horror began over eighty years ago?
My mother whispers, Christopher, how could they not know?
Simply, by averting eyes, as eighty years ago
~
CLP 08/04/2025
Journey of Words 
7 responses
oh, well written indeed!
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Ghazal in my dialect means to writhe in a seething rage. That is exactly how it feels like. Thank you for sharing.
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Dihya, What dialect is that? The irony is beyond words. The frustration and sense of impotence immense at such cruelty and wanton violence. My few mere words, pathetic in the face of it. Chris
Wow! This subject brings my emotions to the boil so often, but not usually as the sweeping power of your words brought a tear to my eye.
It feels wrong to offer congratulations – but they are freely given.
💜💔💜