Enemies and Martyrs – v3

In this time, in this moment,
the world’s eyes open, struggling,
to stand with their nation, their leader,
in this time of terror, an unholy war, reprisals,
so many innocents lost in the combat,
in constant shelling try to defeat them,
but widespread righteous condemnation,
from allies, from all around the globe…
 
His words of ancient scripture so telling,
making this war a holy crusade, a jihad,
marshalling his forces, the nation,
seeing only one enemy, manifest,
martyrs have become their enemies,
this ancient land, their promise, a hope,
for his people, his nation, but a struggle,
condemned to live in a state of forever war…
 
Their enemies have become martyrs,
catching the attention of the world’s people,
blurring the stark lines between them,
innocent women and children lost,
in the crucible of war, the strategy
of extermination, in the destruction
of their enemy, the terror, this cancer,
within this land, so many innocents lost…
 
Generation upon generations, hopelessly trapped,
within a space carved out, a scar between them,
splitting land, expansion, a constriction,
a tightening of the noose, their vice,
walled in, fenced in, no hope, no freedom,
children picking up rocks, men missiles,
speaking words of the Book, of war, of jihad,
condemned to live in a state of forever war…
 
How will this end, what will peace look like,
after the terror from each side, but lost
in the hegemony, the genocide, a truth,
that their strategy, their mission, his rhetoric
has kindled, has stoked the fires, the flames
of an entire generation, children, of martyrs,
to take up the cause of the vanquished, revenge,
now, the martyrs have become their enemies…
 
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Edited September 24, 2024
Enemies and Martyrs – v3
 
Edited September 24, 2024
endless war – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/endless-war-v2.html
Edited September 24, 2024
Trapped in a state of war – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/trapped-in-state-of-war-v2.html
Edited September 24, 2024
Martyrs have become their enemies – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/martyrs-have-become-their-enemies-v2.html
Edited September 24, 2024
Their enemies have become martyrs – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/their-enemies-have-become-martyrs-v2.html
Edited September 24, 2024
Two companion poems, a no-state solution – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/two-companion-poems-no-state-solution-v2.html
&
Edited August 27, 2024
Trapped in the flames, in the cage of Rafah – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/08/trapped-in-flames-cage-of-rafah-v2.html 
Edited August 25, 2024
Bent on Hegemony – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/08/bent-on-hegemony-v2.html
Edited July 29, 2024
The pain on her face – v4
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/07/the-pain-on-her-face-v4.html
About a 70-year-old customer at Dollar General who said she has worn a
necklace with a little gold Star of David for 60 years; conversation at less than two days
after the international horror about the attack by Hamas on Israel October 7, 2023.
 
All of my poems, photographs, and videos are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com)  for usage. See all 53,000+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com  Poetry Where You Live.
 
Poetry, God, Israel, Palestine, Hamas, Rafah, massacre, refuge, refugee, genocide, terror, innocents, Gaza, Isaac, Ishmael, Amalek, Netanyahu, Palestinians,
 
#Poetry #God #Israel #Palestine #Hamas #Rafah #massacre #refuge #refugee #genocide #terror #innocents #Gaza #Isaac #Ishmael #Amalek #Netanyahu #Palestinians