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I have zero tolerance
for the worshipers of violence
that unleash Lucifer
to other lands
in the name of army
to sniff oil in others’ soil,
to make their ‘streets melancholy’
their ‘minarets mourn’,
to kill and get killed-
while their angels at home
are on a shooting spree-
how playfully they kill-
I tell the wrathful deities,
of the trigger happy nations:
stop writing horror stories-
live and let others live-
but they have no ear, no eye, no heart
save a big, illiterate mouth that runs deep
to the abyss dark
to churn out words of liquid fire-
we have seen so many
bellicose civilizations seethe and fizz
like pathetic bubbles before-
these scourges will pass too-
Words within inverted commas are from Nizar Qabbani’s poem Jerusalem
Posted for Susan’s Midweek Motif ~ Zero Tolerance @ Poets United
“I tell the wrathful deities,
of the trigger happy nations:
stop writing horror stories . . . ” So many strong words wrap anger around those who pursue death! An amazing concentration of what zero tolerance sounds like and the kind of power it might have. Wow, I sit in a very sober excitement in the wake of your poem. And I thank you for “Jerusalem.”
The “big, illiterate mouth that runs deep to the abyss dark” says it so well, Sumana. This, too, will pass, but will we survive the damage done? That photo is amazing. I am wondering what city it is.
It is Syria, Sherry.
I love your last line because it gives hope. But your words prior to that are chilling and sadly true. Still, you demonstrate your talent by weaving these words.
Hope in the last lines. May we all be blessed with hope and share that hope to everyone.
Great “I tell the wrathful deities, of the trigger happy nations” I agree zero tolerance for worshipers of violence. The world has to wake up and take a stand on this
What an excellent piece Sumana. What an ugly race humanity has become and I can see no bright future on the horizon as greed is rampant and a goal worth killing for.
I’ve walked through the valleys, where tolerance was, only found, inside a dictionary, as a child growing up. Not a place that I wish on anyone.
This theme has whipped up anger and despair, Sumana, and you have woven these emotions into your poem so well. I like the effective alliteration in ‘unleash Lucifer to other lands’ and the internal rhyme and wordplay of ‘oil in others’ soil’. There is vitriol in the lines:
‘…they have no ear, no eye, no heart
save a big, illiterate mouth that runs deep
to the abyss dark
to churn out words of liquid fire’
and in the sounds in:
‘bellicose civilizations seethe and fizz
like pathetic bubbles’.
“but they have no ear, no eye, no heart”…and they call themselves human. What a tragedy…sigh!
Beautifully penned, Sumana. Wonderful reading you always!
Magnificent poem, Sumana! Your words are truth.
This too will pass – that’s the consolation.
Nothings lasts forever- hope there’s no terrorism or anything bad in any nation…
Zero Tolerance For Misinformation – Anita