by Pa Rock
Poetry Appreciator
It's been an unusually busy week for America's hate-fueled extremists. During the past few days three middle-aged white men, right-wing malcontents with political agendas closely aligned with those of Donald Trump, have been arrested for crimes which all appear to be rooted in hatred toward specific groups of people.
After thirteen pipe bombs were mailed to Democratic politicians and other individuals associated with humanitarian causes, the FBI arrested Cesar Sayoc, Jr, age 56 of south Florida. Sayoc, an ardent Trump supporter, was a loner living in a van that was plastered with Trump stickers. Sayoc immersed himself in right-wing rhetoric and propaganda. One of the deranged views that he harbored was that Parkland student activist, David Hogg, was actually an actor who was on the payroll of American Jewish billionaire, George Soros.
Gregory Alan Bush, age 51, of Louisville, Kentucky, was arrested on Thursday morning after he shot and killed two black individuals - one inside of a Kroger's grocery, and the other in the Kroger's parking lot. Just minutes earlier Bush has been observed trying to force his way into a black church.
And finally on Saturday, Robert Bowers, age 46, entered a synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and opened fire on several elderly congregants who were there to celebrate a birth. Eleven people were killed and several others, including three policemen, were wounded. Bowers was reacting to his belief that Jewish organizations were assisting refugees to enter the country, and he was particularly focused on the "caravan" of Central American refugees that Trump has been railing about. Five minutes before he entered the synagogue, Bowers posted the following on a right-wing social media site:
And he did - with his AR-15 blazing.
Through it all, Donald Trump has tried to stay above the fray and keep up his appearances at his campaign rallies - where his rhetoric continues to amp up anger among his followers - people like Sayoc, Bush, and Bowers. Trump is upset that these three major hate crimes have distracted from his continuing drumbeat for hate that he defines as "election momentum," and he is quick to point the finger at others - especially the media - for creating the climate of fear and anger that brings about these savage attacks.
These horrible crimes are always someone else's fault - never Trump's - and he is always the true victim.
I felt that today's poem should somehow reflect what America has had to endure this past week, and I finally selected a piece that was written b a Jew living in the Warsaw Ghetto at the start of World War II. It speaks to the horrors of the time with a promise that the faith will survive. And that should be the goal for all of us in these dark times - to know that ultimately our faith in the goodness of humanity will survive and triumph.
Poetry Appreciator
It's been an unusually busy week for America's hate-fueled extremists. During the past few days three middle-aged white men, right-wing malcontents with political agendas closely aligned with those of Donald Trump, have been arrested for crimes which all appear to be rooted in hatred toward specific groups of people.
After thirteen pipe bombs were mailed to Democratic politicians and other individuals associated with humanitarian causes, the FBI arrested Cesar Sayoc, Jr, age 56 of south Florida. Sayoc, an ardent Trump supporter, was a loner living in a van that was plastered with Trump stickers. Sayoc immersed himself in right-wing rhetoric and propaganda. One of the deranged views that he harbored was that Parkland student activist, David Hogg, was actually an actor who was on the payroll of American Jewish billionaire, George Soros.
Gregory Alan Bush, age 51, of Louisville, Kentucky, was arrested on Thursday morning after he shot and killed two black individuals - one inside of a Kroger's grocery, and the other in the Kroger's parking lot. Just minutes earlier Bush has been observed trying to force his way into a black church.
And finally on Saturday, Robert Bowers, age 46, entered a synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and opened fire on several elderly congregants who were there to celebrate a birth. Eleven people were killed and several others, including three policemen, were wounded. Bowers was reacting to his belief that Jewish organizations were assisting refugees to enter the country, and he was particularly focused on the "caravan" of Central American refugees that Trump has been railing about. Five minutes before he entered the synagogue, Bowers posted the following on a right-wing social media site:
"I can't sit by and watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics. I'm going in."
And he did - with his AR-15 blazing.
Through it all, Donald Trump has tried to stay above the fray and keep up his appearances at his campaign rallies - where his rhetoric continues to amp up anger among his followers - people like Sayoc, Bush, and Bowers. Trump is upset that these three major hate crimes have distracted from his continuing drumbeat for hate that he defines as "election momentum," and he is quick to point the finger at others - especially the media - for creating the climate of fear and anger that brings about these savage attacks.
These horrible crimes are always someone else's fault - never Trump's - and he is always the true victim.
I felt that today's poem should somehow reflect what America has had to endure this past week, and I finally selected a piece that was written b a Jew living in the Warsaw Ghetto at the start of World War II. It speaks to the horrors of the time with a promise that the faith will survive. And that should be the goal for all of us in these dark times - to know that ultimately our faith in the goodness of humanity will survive and triumph.
Pass On Pass On…
by Izi Kharik
by Izi Kharik
Pass on, pass on, you mournful grandfathers
with frightened beards covered with snow.
One last disaster one last woe.
You remained last witnesses –
Pass on, pass on you mournful grandfathers!
with frightened beards covered with snow.
One last disaster one last woe.
You remained last witnesses –
Pass on, pass on you mournful grandfathers!
Woe and grief in your whole village
crushed in suffering and want.
For every starving bite of bread
so long ago you smiled and begged.-
Woe and grief in your whole village.
crushed in suffering and want.
For every starving bite of bread
so long ago you smiled and begged.-
Woe and grief in your whole village.
And now you appear terrified, bedraggled
with trembling knees that shake.
Who knows, who knows what will be
if these sons will remain in Jewish faith? –
You cannot stop the trembling of your knees.
with trembling knees that shake.
Who knows, who knows what will be
if these sons will remain in Jewish faith? –
You cannot stop the trembling of your knees.
And we are the ones who still call you
grandfathers
And know it will not be for very long
We rise up like first blare
like trumpet sound of coming joys,
we the ones who still call you grandfathers.
grandfathers
And know it will not be for very long
We rise up like first blare
like trumpet sound of coming joys,
we the ones who still call you grandfathers.
It’s good to look into mournful eyes.
when sorrow alienates you from the rest…
We -yes you and you- it is our fate
never to bow down again
Pass on, pass on you mournful eyes!-
when sorrow alienates you from the rest…
We -yes you and you- it is our fate
never to bow down again
Pass on, pass on you mournful eyes!-
Pass On Pass On…
by Izi Kharik
by Izi Kharik
Pass on, pass on, you mournful grandfathers
with frightened beards covered with snow.
One last disaster one last woe.
You remained last witnesses –
Pass on, pass on you mournful grandfathers!
with frightened beards covered with snow.
One last disaster one last woe.
You remained last witnesses –
Pass on, pass on you mournful grandfathers!
Woe and grief in your whole village
crushed in suffering and want.
For every starving bite of bread
so long ago you smiled and begged.-
Woe and grief in your whole village.
crushed in suffering and want.
For every starving bite of bread
so long ago you smiled and begged.-
Woe and grief in your whole village.
And now you appear terrified, bedraggled
with trembling knees that shake.
Who knows, who knows what will be
if these sons will remain in Jewish faith? –
You cannot stop the trembling of your knees.
with trembling knees that shake.
Who knows, who knows what will be
if these sons will remain in Jewish faith? –
You cannot stop the trembling of your knees.
And we are the ones who still call you
grandfathers
And know it will not be for very long
We rise up like first blare
like trumpet sound of coming joys,
we the ones who still call you grandfathers.
grandfathers
And know it will not be for very long
We rise up like first blare
like trumpet sound of coming joys,
we the ones who still call you grandfathers.
It’s good to look into mournful eyes.
when sorrow alienates you from the rest…
We -yes you and you- it is our fate
never to bow down again
Pass on, pass on you mournful eyes!
when sorrow alienates you from the rest…
We -yes you and you- it is our fate
never to bow down again
Pass on, pass on you mournful eyes!
No comments:
Post a Comment