Christ was a Palestinian ... a small collection of (older) poems by Anne Selden Annab in Growing Gardens for Palestine #Christmas

Nativity in Bethlehem 2023 - Baby Jesus in the rubble, a symbol of hope reflecting the current reality of the Israeli made genocide in Gaza right now.  Pastor Munther Isaac & 

Bethlehem's Evangelical Lutheran Church

Christ was a Palestinian  ... a small collection Poems by Anne Selden Annab in Growing Gardens for Palestine

Religious Fact ...

            Religious Fact

Jewish- Christian- Muslim ALL
of the book ALL Abraham's
heirs... ALL of faith
somewhere on our
family tree.

A branch with branches
and twigs and seasons
bringing forth new leaves.

One branch on one tree
in a large orchard of life.

Some where some one
long long ago choose
to believe, to have faith
and to name that faith.

That human being
told true stories to
others. And others
helped spread the word.

Minds and hearts opened
communities grew
and yet
so did divisiveness as we are all
                            only human,

with many loving children
teaching each in turn
phrases to say
and habits to have
shaping human history.

Jewish- Christian- Muslim ALL
of an elaborate world where one by one,
each in our own exclusive way,
we are empowered to decide
who and what to notice
& who and what
to forget.

poem copyright ©2014 Anne Selden Annab

 

Preserved Online For All To See

“My Christian grandmother and my Muslim grandmother in Palestine” - Shared by a Palestinian man on Facebook

  

The Holy Land

You have bullets, bully brigades,

biblical words & word smiths

all fundraising for more...

More injustice. More suffering.

More homes and gardens usurped,

more children tormented and

families destroyed in what was

(what always will be)

historic Palestine.

We have nothing much more

than personal stories,

beloved memories,

and old photographs

preserved online for all to see.

We are people, human beings.

Our ancestry reaches back

totally entwined with every

rock and stone, every tree,

every water well, every little flower,

no matter where we are now.

Our recipes are of the land

and trade routes, plus trial

and error.  We helped perfect bread

baked in clay ovens, in our own way.

Our Zaatar is a scrumptious blend

of herbs & our olive oil is heavenly gold.

We keep keys.

Our embroideries are

by hand, with symbols

imagined and taught

mother to daughter for eons,

for longer than thread can last.

Our hope is that one day

justice and peace will prevail

for all good people willing to

actively empower fair and just laws

with full and equal rights, respect, 

dignity... and security for all.

                                  poem copyright ©2015 Anne Selden Annab        

 

A Christmas poem... Star Street Bethlehem Palestine 2014

          Star Street Bethlehem Palestine 2014

Half a world away
light flickers...

Stars strung house
to house, home to home
a narrow alley
in an ancient place
and a modern car
gliding... guiding
good thoughts...

Strand after strand
string after string
row by row over head
line by line
electric stars shine
illuminating
a golden glow
a golden path
a golden trance
as we go...

Wordless wonder
here and there
sharing a ride,
a marveling minute
(& twenty three seconds)
of real life and light
in Bethlehem
today... tonight...

think what you want
and I will too

as half a world away
Christmas returns renewed
in open hearts and curious,
creative minds
connecting.

poem copyright ©2014 Anne Selden Annab         

 

Trust... A poem for peace in Growing Gardens for Palestine

Palestine photo credit ATFP news roundup

You are part
of continuum
alongside
and into
others.

Good is in our
collective quest
to live enlightened

To be measured
by our best and reminded
by our worst to be better.

To be the gold
of Golden Rule.

To spark joy
or comfort
or calm
or thought,
each in turn
as we turn
to others

bringing out
honor
decency
dignity
justice
peace

knowing
nurturing
continuum.

poem copyright ©2014 Anne Selden Annab

 

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.
 

poem copyright ©2013 Anne Selden Annab    

 

Little Golden Bell...

Tiny 2,000-year-old golden bell found in Jerusalem: A tiny golden bell which was lost in Jerusalem some 2,000 years ago during the Second Temple period has been found among ruins near the Old City, Israel's Antiquities Authority has said

Little Golden Bell

Little golden bell
lost
for 2000 years-
a precious treasure
and token
of times gone by

What stories did you hear
when you were first created
bought and sold
and then later- through the ages
as you hid in Palestine?

What songs and hymns stirred
your heart to beat
underground

Did footsteps echo
in your ear
coming and going

Shall we argue now
as to your religion
and rightful heirs...

Fondly remembering the freedom
and the beauty found
in my own American childhood
(and the silly seriousness of children)
I like to think
you belonged to a young girl
A girl with joy in her heart
and a brilliant mind...
even brighter than your gold polished
A girl able to balance on a beam

A girl whose own story
we will never know
She is free to simply be
no ID card- no passport
no prison- no politics
no accusations
no religion
no names

Just life
being lived

little golden bell

perhaps she meant
to drop you.

poem copyright ©2011 Anne Selden Annab 

Freedom to me is ... (a poem)

Freedom to me is
the ability to err
and apologize...

Freedom to me is the right
to change my mind-
change my hairstyle
change my clothes
change my mood
change my purse
the right to explore ideas
and formulate my own
and the right to change my mind
and maybe yours...

The Right To Respect
the Right To Return
& The Golden Rule...

Freedom to me is
the right to admire beauty
and invest in dignity

Freedom to me is
the awareness
of change
and changing awareness

Freedom to me is
finding hope
no matter what or where...

Freedom to me is to honor
my own heritage
and hearth

My family- and yours
our marriage
all marriage...

and the intriguing history
of humankind.


poem & picture copyright ©2010 Anne Selden Annab

Christ was a Palestinian

And unto us
a new era is born

The Phoenix
rising from the flames
of "Israel"

In seeing the Israeli made myths
and violence now

as the information age explodes

We Know

We know that what was remembered then
was for power- not for truth

We know that Israel usurped land and rights- and even the story itself

Now and then

We know that Israeli crimes
are all the more wrong as they claim
to be for God

We know

Now and then

We know that the only known political fact
is simply that the prophet and savior
Christ
was a Palestinian...

And we know that he deployed
Parables to free the people
from tyranny
of every type

Parables
to compel humankind to be both human
and kind

Parables
not guns

A dialog
not guns

Life
not death

We know that Christ is resurrection...

and we know that Palestine was then- and will be again
somehow

We know

and this faith
shall light our way

no matter what

This faith
will transcend the hate mongering
and sorrow and suffering...

This faith
will heal
the many wounds

made by Israel

and the many mistakes
made by all people
trying to find peace
in a troubled world

This faith will rebuild Palestine
one day

This faith will free the people
one by one
to transcend the many tyrannies
of our time

For Christ really was- is and always will be
a Palestinian....

poem & photo copyright ©2009 Anne Selden Annab

 

 

 

Rivers of paint...

...Up Out of the Mud

Rivers of paint
run through my blood

Rivers of unequivocal color
up out of the mud

huts to palaces
every home

where ever tint can roam

every floor
every wall
every tile
every hall

every costume
every dance
every embroidery
every glance

huts to palaces
every home

every garden
every wood
every field
every could

huts to palaces
every home

where ever ever ever
an I might roam

poem copyright ©2008 Anne Selden Annab -The Fairy Garden Poems # 47

 

 

...Universal Echo

Every time
you unlock any door
any where
any one
you are Al-Awda

Any time
you fit a key
into any ignition
of any vehicle

you are Al-Awda

Any time
you write a poem
(or a grocery list)
you are Al-Awda
as the ink shapes
in every language
spell out
what was
is and always will be
Al-Awda

When you read a book
When you fall in love
When you buy a ring
When you leave home
When you return
all Al-Awda

Every time
you flick a switch
turn on a light
Al-Awda

Every time
you close your eyes
and dream
Al-Awda

Every pillow you fluff
every penny you drop
every street you stroll
every garden
every step
even every stumble
All Al-Awda

And now knowing Al-Awda
know that all roads now
lead home
....to Palestine

poem & photo copyright ©2008 Anne Selden Annab