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Friday, September 20, 2013

Ibrahim's Estate... a poem by Anne Selden Annab

The Promised Land: In Celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 
& Peace Day

      Ibrahim's Estate

Recognizing rights
basic human rights
the People of the Book-
the Christians and Muslims and Jews
and the People of Outside the Box
looked... They
looked to homelands
looked to citizenship
looked to fair and just laws
to compassion
and empathy
and the Golden Rule...


looked for ways
to make peace
and diplomacy
a daily practice.


Some went astray.
Some waged war
instead of waging peace.


Some grew ugly thoughts
instead of gardens with flowers
to delight the soul and fruit to feed
the hungry.


Some grew selfish and paranoid.
Some grew angry and cruel
Some grew violent.


Bigots & bullies tried to own the story-
to tell it in ways to diminish
and alienate "others"...
to tell it in ways
to spark rage
and arguments...


But the People of the Book-
the Christians and Muslims and Jews
and the People of Outside the Box
taught their children to read
and to think...  to stop look and listen...
and to invest wisely
so that country by country
community by community
we all might be free
as one epic nation
free to flourish
enjoying
Ibrahim's Estate...


This then is the nation
the promised land-
the real estate
agents of Good
keep safe for all to inherit...


No border, no book, no line, no letter
no brick or stone can contain it. No passport
can define it. No one sect
can own it... it is ours
in the largest sense 


It is ours for all
eternity.


Growing Gardens for Palestine

 

1 comment:

  1. American version of
    Ibrahim's Estate... a poem by Anne Selden Annab
    The Promised Land: In Celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
    & Peace Day

    Abraham's Estate

    Recognizing rights
    basic human rights
    the People of the Book-
    the Christians and Muslims and Jews
    and the People of Outside the Box
    looked... They
    looked to homelands
    looked to citizenship
    looked to fair and just laws
    to compassion
    and empathy
    and the Golden Rule...

    looked for ways
    to make peace
    and diplomacy
    a daily practice.

    Some went astray.
    Some waged war
    instead of waging peace.

    Some grew ugly thoughts
    instead of gardens with flowers
    to delight the soul and fruit to feed
    the hungry.

    Some grew selfish and paranoid.
    Some grew angry and cruel
    Some grew violent.

    Bigots & bullies tried to own the story-
    to tell it in ways to diminish
    and alienate "others"...
    to tell it in ways
    to spark rage
    and arguments...

    But the People of the Book-
    the Christians and Muslims and Jews
    and the People of Outside the Box
    taught their children to read
    and to think... to stop look and listen...
    and to invest wisely
    so that country by country
    community by community
    we all might be free
    as one epic nation
    free to flourish
    enjoying
    Abraham's Estate...

    This then is the nation
    the promised land-
    the real estate
    agents of Good
    keep safe for all to inherit...

    No border, no book, no line, no letter
    no brick or stone can contain it. No passport
    can define it. No one sect
    can own it... it is ours
    in the largest sense

    It is ours for all
    eternity.





    The Arab Peace Initiative requests Israel to reconsider its policies and declare that a just peace is its strategic option as well...




    & twitter list so far

    GROWING GARDENS FOR PALESTINE

    The Promised Land: In Celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
    & Peace Day

    ReplyDelete