in the forests of Mumbai.
This sets me dreaming
of a land where temples
lean towards the sky.
A poet walks in footsteps
of Siddhartha
as another day
on Planet Earth goes by.
There's a doctor
in the refugee camps of Gaza
who lost three daughters
to Israeli bombs.
He works for peace
and daily crosses borders.
"I shall not hate," he says.
I shall not cease."
There's a Sky-show going on
this very second!
We live in miracles,
Traveler,
you and I.
Look up.
Look up!
Let's never cease
our striving
to keep our vision
bigger than the Sky.
Given the recent news, which I admit I am not up to date on, as my old heart cant take it, with the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Palestine, I was reminded of this book, and the poem I wrote in 2011, after I read it.
"I Shall Not Hate - A Gaza Doctor's Journey on the Road to Peace and Human Dignity" was written by Izzeldin Abuelaish. He was born and raised in the refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, educated in medicine in the US, and daily goes between his home in the Israeli-controlled Gaza Strip to work in the hospital in Israel.
He has devoted his life to medicine, and to reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians. Three of his daughters were killed by Israeli bombs, and this man's response has won him humanitarian awards. "I Shall Not Hate" he insists. His deepest hope is that his daughters "will be the last sacrifice on the road to peace between Israeli and Palestine."
Sadly, given glimpses of the news in recent days, this has not been the case.
Wild Woman is doing a lot of staring at the sky these days. Down below, it's too perplexing.
I will post this at Poets United's Poetry Pantry.
