or “Tears of The Galilee”
from Rhyme Without Reason by Gary Knapton
How many night-sky stars shine out in hope that this might cease ?
How much closer are we to the prize of living in peace ?
How many people still believe once wars have taken their tolls ?
Thousands of innocent people maimed and dying by the Dead Sea Scrolls
How many walls go tumbling when the bombs fall from above ?
How many dreams are crumbling through the eye of a storm of love ?
How many mouths shot silent ?
How many eyes to see ?
Palestinian children share your tears of the Galilee
How long we been neighbours ?
Yet how little do we care ?
Focused on our differences
Yet blind to the path we share
So many Mosques and Temples
Don’t you find it odd
That we would sooner kill each other than share in the fruits of God ?
Can’t we take a new approach ?
How can it hurt to try ?
How much possibility hangs low in the Jericho sky ?
Suicide bombers and soldiers
Are robbing us of our namesake
How many more miles sleepwalking before we are blown awake ?
How many houses tumble when we bomb our cities in hate ?
How many more lives crumble by the old Jerusalem gate ?
How many hearts fall silent ?
Why can’t anyone see ?
Palestinian children share your tears of the Galilee
PLO and Hamas mask enemies from within
Rocket shells on the Golan Heights
Another bombardment din
Every innocent loses
Jews and Arabs alike
All our brothers and sisters
Fear death from the next airstrike
Human beings are vulnerable
Human beings are fools
Too many men with power not love are making money and rules
Meanwhile back in Disneyland we parody the Burlesque stall
While they starve and suffer in the shade of a Berlin-esque wall
How much more pain rumbles ?
People cannot breathe
How the wealthy grumble from the towers of Tel Aviv
All the world is guilty in its quest for a Holy grail
Deaf to the lesson loud and clear from a nearby Crucifix nail