LYNN WHITE

 

Again And Again

 

Never again

the holocaust

of Jews,

of Slavs,

of dissenters,

of the mixed

or mismatched

ethnicity.

Gassed

starved

beaten

enslaved

dying.

 

Never again

the swarms

of refugees

left behind

fleeing

dying

pleading

to be let in anywhere

dying

unwanted.

Never again.

That’s what they said

then.

 

But then

in Asia

in Africa

in the Middle East

in south America

it happened

again.

 

And now

in Gaza

it’s happening

again.

Again and again

and again.

 

Thunder And Lightning

 

As a child I loved them,

the sky purple with anger,

the lightning flashing

and Roger’s mum

running up the street

in terror of a thunderstorm,

and seeking to get behind

the closed doors

of our house.

There we would spend the evening

playing Ludo or Monopoly,

the four of us together

in our sanctuary.

 

Roger loved them too. 

 

Lost Opportunities

 

Every day I grieve

for the missed opportunities

in this country,

the man we could have had as leader

now speaking on a smaller stage

now reaching a smaller audience

with a message of peace and reconciliation,

of investment in society not weapons.

 

Every day I grieve

for the missed opportunities

in that other county

where the man they could have had as leader

now speaks on a smaller stage,

now reaches a smaller audience

with a message of peace and reconciliation,

of investment in society not weapons.

 

Every day I grieve

for the missed opportunities

to build a better world

where human rights are respected

wherever humans live,

where violence is deplored

whoever the perpetrators.

Where international law is upheld

so those who break it face justice

whoever they are,

wherever they are.

Where there is nowhere to hide

for those who break it

Where there are no smoke screens

of meaningless words

but only exposure.

 

Every day I grieve for a world

where only the Corbyns and the Sanders

may rest in peace.

 

A Jewish Resolution

 

There is no doubt

that many Jews

actively oppose

the plausible genocide

taking place in Gaza.

 

There is no doubt

that many Jews,

perhaps a plausible majority

do not support

the actions

of the Jewish State in Gaza.

 

There is no doubt

that other Jews

and non-Jews

do support

these

acts

and send support

in words and arms.

 

There is no doubt

that Jews,

and only Jews,

are perpetrating

these acts

that amount to

plausible genocide.

 

And there is no doubt

that

there is

a division,

a dichotomy

for all Jews

that needs

resolution,

a division

that Jews

must resolve.

 

LYNN WHITE

 

LYNN WHITE lives in north Wales. Her work is influenced by issues of social justice and events, places and people she has known or imagined. She is especially interested in exploring the boundaries of dream, fantasy and reality. She has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net and a Rhysling