Or Were You Once A Child?
Or Were You Once A Child?
©2017 by Alice Walker
If you were once a child
Remember how it was
When the big men
Who were not smiling
Came for you?
They were not soldiers
Then
But uncles, fathers,
Grandpas,
Dentists.
It was their bigness
That scared you.
Now they are coming
Six feet tall
In full battle gear;
You have nothing
Or maybe a tee shirt
And flip flops:
Your face might reach
A belt.
Add to this
The whole world
Ignores you.
We are the world
That has failed the children
Of this planet
Not just in Africa
Most miserably and most long
But most grievously this day
This century
Last century too
The children of Palestine.
Where is the place
We will go to weep
When the time comes
For our own oblivious
Children and grandchildren
To face this terror:
Secure in their gadgets and soccer dreams.
When the big men come wearing dead faces
Guns, knives, scowls
Hats of steel
And
Big boots.
This photo (and others as horrifying), was sent by the beloved Israeli witness, Nurit Peled. Under the title: Saturday Hunting. Another photo shows a child with a head injury being held at a check point for five hours. No wonder the children of Palestine are committing suicide at a phenomenal rate.
Or Were You Once A Child?
Or Were You Once A Child?
©2017 by Alice Walker
If you were once a child
Remember how it was
When the big men
Who were not smiling
Came for you?
They were not soldiers
Then
But uncles, fathers,
Grandpas,
Dentists.
It was their bigness
That scared you.
Now they are coming
Six feet tall
In full battle gear;
You have nothing
Or maybe a tee shirt
And flip flops:
Your face might reach
A belt.
Add to this
The whole world
Ignores you.
We are the world
That has failed the children
Of this planet
Not just in Africa
Most miserably and most long
But most grievously this day
This century
Last century too
The children of Palestine.
Where is the place
We will go to weep
When the time comes
For our own oblivious
Children and grandchildren
To face this terror?
Secure in their gadgets and soccer dreams.
When the big men come wearing dead faces
Guns, knives, scowls
Hats of steel
And
Big boots.
This photo (and others as horrifying), was sent by the beloved Israeli witness, Nurit Peled. Under the title: Saturday Hunting. Another photo shows a child with a head injury being held at a check point for five hours. No wonder the children of Palestine are committing suicide at a phenomenal rate.
