Peace for Canaan

Photo from the film: Bridge over the Wadi

Grief drops are pouring over Canaan,
watering the crops of despair and agony.
War visits upon the children of Abraham,
upon the Jews, the Christians and the Muslims ,
the chosen people, the chosen ones,
belligerent siblings of the same history

It’s fraternal, essential and indispensable
Peace be upon you, we urge!

Pax vobiscum,
Assalamu alaikum,
Walaikum assalam,
Shalom Aleichem,
Aleichem shalom,
Pax et lux,
Urging the light on

Your offspring are raised in broad nightmare,
their childhoods forsaken before they’re born,
the Mamas condemned to utter hopelessness,
civilians the pawns in this never ending war ,
this battle thus waged to secure a Promised Land,
a self-defeating strategy wreaking destructiveness

It’s kindly, fundamental and necessary
Peace be upon you, we pray

Pax vobiscum
Assalamu alaikum
Walaikum assalam
Shalom aleichem
Aleichem shalom
Pax et lux
Praying for the light

Even as the leaders are designing strategies,
trading hegemony for enduring peace,
mothers utter their devastation in the air
fraught with unremitting despondency.
"Hi-loo-loo! Hi-loo-loo!", the keening cries
fail to drain the wells of bereaving demise

It’s humane, pressing and de rigueur
Peace be upon you, we implore

Pax vobiscum
Assalamu alaikum
Walaikum assalam
Shalom aleichem
Aleichem shalom
Pax et lux
Imploring for the light

Death screeches to and fro through the heavens
Razing all felicity to burning embers
No more Rosh Hashanah, no more Ramadan
No sense in the ceremonies of the elders
Merely senseless carnage to justify power
Optical delusions of self annihilation

It’s compulsory, critical and compassionate
Peace be upon you, we entreat

Pax vobiscum
Assalamu alaikum
Walaikum assalam
Shalom aleichem
Aleichem shalom
Pax et lux
Entreating you to peace

Angels and archangels, seraphims and cherubims,
Cupids of a superior order, embodiments of love
Ninety-nine holy names of Allah, peace As-Salam
Ten Sephirot, Tetragrammaton, seven with Zebaot
Exaltations of divinity, the names of a higher god
Pray, revisit your worship and honor those names

It’s imperative, mandatory and wise
Peace be upon you, peace oblige

Pax vobiscum
Assalamu alaikum
Walaikum assalam
Shalom aleichem
Aleichem shalom
Pax et lux

Beseeching you,
Entreating you,
Imploring you,
Praying to you,
Urging you,
Pax et lux

Now, peace now!
In the land of Canaan
The land of honey and milk

The Torah teaches: 'Justice, justice, you shall pursue' (Deuteronomy 16:20). To secure a lasting settlement to the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis so they can live in peace and security, thrive side by side, and co-operate together, Jews today are obligated to pursue justice on behalf of both peoples.”
RABBI ELIZABETH TIKVAH SARAH

"Jews for Justice for Palestinians is concerned for justice for them—and us! Without justice for Palestinians, there is no hope for Israel."
RABBI JEFFREY NEWMAN
http://www.jfjfp.org.uk/signatories.htm

“For most Muslims, the callous and indiscriminate taking of human life violates Allah's wishes. It defies the Koran's central message and undermines the peace that Islam promises to deliver to all people. ‘Human life in Islam is extremely sacred’.

Chapter 5, Verse 32 of the Koran says: "[I]f anyone slew a person—unless it be for murder or spreading mischief in the land—it would be as if he slew the whole people. And if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people."
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/09/0925_TVkoran_2.html