Poem: 'Respite (a short pause in the slaughter of Gaza)'

December 6, 2023
Issue 
boy sits in rubble

Ìý

respite (a short pause in the slaughter of Gaza)

i forgot my sadness
while i watched the wind and sand at play
making tiny avalanches
slowly rolling the beach back to the sea
puff after puff, grain by grain

and when I turned my gaze to the sky
so blue today, so deep
so unfathomably vast
a few seconds dwelling in that space
was enough for me to lose and find myself

attesting that I too
am water, wind, the sand, the sky
such spaciousness, that blue
which tumbles, falls and flows, keeps moving
night after night, and day by day

then thoughts returned
and with them came your image
condemned by manmade madness
to an abyss where fear and hate rains
bomb after bomb, rage after rage

the soul of your world dismembered
crushed into rubble, waste, ashes
how can one watch that kind of dust
float slowly down the drain
unseen and unremembered

may i hold your heart, your hurt
your suffering far beyond sadness
to stem your pain for two seconds
this wind i send, this daylight blue
one drop by one drop, to you, to you

You need Â鶹´«Ã½, and we need you!

Â鶹´«Ã½ is funded by contributions from readers and supporters. Help us reach our funding target.

Make a One-off Donation or choose from one of our Monthly Donation options.

Become a supporter to get the digital edition for $5 per month or the print edition for $10 per month. One-time payment options are available.

You can also call 1800 634 206 to make a donation or to become a supporter. Thank you.