It’s rare that I re-post articles from other writers to my blog, but the circumstances of the Times demand these poems of Diane Engelhardt gain more exposure.
This 1st one is about a fundamental Truth. The Masses of Ordinary People have the real Power as WE THE PEOPLE, to change this increasingly corrupt and violent World, not the small minority of the rich and powerful at the top of the Economic-Social-Power Pyramid System.
As for ‘The Children of Gaza,’ every ordinary person with a Conscience and a sense of our COMMON HUMANITY in this COMMON ERA of Christ should raise their voices so those those at the Top of the so called ‘International Community’ in their isolated towers to get some Moral Integrity, and stop the Israeli Genocide in Gaza – IMMEDIATELY. Especially in the US being 100% COMPLICIT enabling it.
Over 153 Nations on Earth have recognized a Palestinian State. It’s an empty gesture of Action. It doesn’t stop the murderous massacre Israel brings to defenceless women and children in Gaza.
If Trump had the Morality and Will, he could order Israel to STOP IMMEDIATELY but he doesn’t, and won’t until the American People raise their voices so loud, he can’t ignore it!
For those who remember Trump’s reference to “American Carnage” in his 1st Inaugural speech, watching from CanaDa, there’s no doubt he’s letting it happen in Gaza with US F-35s, US bombers and bombs, US bullets, and Apache Attack Helicopters, money, and Diplomatic support, Vetoing every UN censure of Israel for it’s Genocide in Gaza!
ORDINARY PEOPLE
It’s not kings, presidents, prime ministers,
governors, mayors and politicians
that will make the world a better place
for future generations;
it is ordinary people doing the hard work
and daily heavy lifting, ordinary people moving things
step by step in the right direction.
It’s not generals, commanders, soldiers
and national guards that will fight
for freedom, peace and democracy;
it is ordinary people taking their battles
to the streets and social media,
ordinary people practising
non-violent civil disobedience
on the front lines.
It’s not bankers, investors, executives
and multinational corporations that will keep
the economy running and put an end
to poverty, hunger and suffering;
it is ordinary people spending, giving,
donating and helping out;
ordinary people investing
their time, energy and money
in worthy causes.
It’s not the courts, judges, lawyers,
lawmakers and the police that will uphold
the law and see that justice is done;
it is ordinary people speaking out
against what’s wrong, and standing up
for what’s right, fair and just,
ordinary people never giving up,
and never backing down.
It’s not scientists, academics, experts,
technicians and engineers that will solve
the climate crisis and avert global chaos
and environmental disaster;
it is ordinary people sharing resources,
joining hands, and digging in,
ordinary people bearing responsibility,
taking initiative, and building community.
It’s not writers, philosophers, musicians,
artists and intellectuals that will answer
difficult questions and deliver the truth;
it is ordinary people daring to embark
upon a long journey fraught
with loneliness, darkness and peril;
ordinary people travelling onward
without a road map, yet fearlessly
staying the course.
It’s not priests, ministers, imams,
rabbis and gurus that will save our souls
and lead humanity on the path
toward grace and redemption;
it is ordinary people with love
in their hearts and abiding faith
in all that’s good and true,
everyday ordinary people
who will bring about
a bright new day.
https://dianeengelhardt.substack.com/p/ordinary-people
A CHILD IN GAZA
If I were a child in Gaza,
(if I am not already dead and wrapped
in a white blood-stained shroud
with my name written in black marker),
I would have only one arm or one leg
or no legs and no crutches,
no wheelchair, no prosthesis,
so that my father (if I still have a father)
would have to carry me in his arms
or on his bent back like a donkey.
I would have no medicine to relieve my pain
or stop my stumps, my wounds, my burns
from bleeding, weeping and festering
and my poor mother (if I still have a mother)
would try to comfort me with her kisses,
her tears and her prayers.
If I were a child in Gaza,
I would cry for bread my mother or father
cannot give me and my brothers and sisters
(if I still have brothers and sisters).
I would sip unclean water and every salty trickle
would burn my throat and come out,
thin and putrid, into my pants or diaper.
I could not take a bath or a shower
or wash in warm, soapy water.
I would be dirty, cold and scared,
homeless.
If I were a child in Gaza,
I would have no toys to play with
and no school to attend with my friends,
(if I still have friends).
And I would always be seeking,
not a playground or a beach in the sun,
but a safe place (if there are still safe places)
where I would crouch and hide
from the bombs, the bullets, the soldiers.
I would tremble and cry and cling
to someone in my family
(if I still have a family to protect me),
and I would want the blasts, the explosions,
the screams, the noise, the terror to stop,
now and forever.
If I were a child in Gaza,
I would be afraid to go to sleep
(if I have a bed, a mat, a plastic bag
to lie on and a blanket to cover me)
and I would be afraid to wake up.
Sleep would come only when my eyes
(if I still have eyes), were too heavy,
too sore, too blurry to stay open.
But I would not know the difference
between each fierce, dark night and
every endless day.
If I were a child in Gaza,
I would look up at the sky
and wish that I could fly like a bird
high above the clouds and far, far away
where nothing could harm or catch me.
And when one day this hell on earth is over,
I will fly back to my people
and the place where I was born,
and there we will rebuild,
insh’Allah, and stay.
https://dianeengelhardt.substack.com/p/if-i-were-a-child-in-gaza
Jews in Nazi Germany concentration camps. Picture taken from Holocaust Museum
As for the kings and politicians, I wanted to insert this image right after “It’s not kings, presidents, prime ministers, governors, mayors and politicians that will make the world a better place for future generations” but I couldn’t find the way to do it.
And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty […] And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. Revelation 16:13-16
I just came across this video Today, August 3 at 12:45pm ET. It’s a long video, some 85 minutes, interviewing a just retired Officer in the US Military. He was sought out and hired 4 Security for the 4 Gaza Humanitarian Foundation food distribution sites for the 1.5 Million Gazans.
GHF was chosen by Israel/US, to replace the 400 United Nations distribution sites in Gaza since the Israeli siege of Gaza started after the 1st Palestinian Democratic Election in 2006 Hamas won fair and square, and certified by all external election monitors, including Jimmy Carter.
US/Israel would no longer be able to claim Israel is the only Democracy in the Middle East. They told Fatah President Abbas to dissolve the Palestinian Legislature so Hamas could not form the Legitimate, Democratically Elected Palestinian government having won the majority of seats.
Abbas is still there as the Israeli proxy police force to keep the Palestinians in the illegally occupied West Bank “QUIET” about Israel’s serial violations of International Law with impunity because the US led “International Community” ( CanaDa and the nominally Christian Europeans Nations with the money and power) does nothing about it.
Gaza is not much bigger North to South in total area than Philadelphia. Israel banned the UN from Gaza, and Israel bars Foreign Journalists from entering Gaza so the World see the Truth and Reality of this Israeli Engineered horrific situation of Human degradation we see in Gaza.
This ex US Military Officer and Christian, no matter how much the money, could not betray his Christian Values and keep silent about the atrocities he saw with the GHF and quit. I believe his report and I suspect most people who watch it will believe him too! What can We the People do?
