THREE POEMS FOR PEACE

At this time of year, when  many cultures all over the world are observing celebrations honouring light, love and peace, it seems fitting to offer three beautiful poems for peace, written by our own Mary,  Loredana Donovan, and Anjum Wasim Dar. I hope they resonate with you as much as they did with me, each one coming from a heart full of love and goodwill. May they blow through your heart like the winter wind, leaving everything fresh and new. Enjoy these poems of peace, my friends, an early gift to add to the many of the season.

Mary, who writes at In the Corner of My Eye, was very moved by this video, which went viral right after the tragic events in Paris in November. Do enjoy the music and its message, and Mary's beautiful poem in response. Paris is a city she has visited, that is dear to her heart.

IMAGINE

Imagine, yes imagine,

what it would be like

if we could live in peace!

Imagine, yes imagine

what it would be like

if we could have no fear.

Imagine, yes imagine..

imagine, yes imagine..

no I really cannot see

how it will ever be possible

for hateful killing to end

and evil to be controlled.

Imagine, yes imagine

I wish I could imagine

peace not drifting further away.

Sherry: The combination of the video and your poem is very moving, Mary. And  the idea of peace drifting ever further away is saddening. Sigh. Tell us a bit about what was going through your heart as you wrote.

Mary: I wrote the poem “Imagine” the day after the terrorist attacks in the city of Paris.  I had been watching on-site journalists from CNN report on the situation, and one of them mentioned that behind them there was a man on a bicycle pulling a piano.  The reporters then mentioned that he set up his grand piano and began to play outside the Bataclan Theater.  And the song that he played was John Lennon’s “Imagine.”   I found myself listening to that song again (on Youtube)  and was then inspired to write my poem.

At first the name of the pianist  was not known, but eventually it was disclosed that he was Davide Martello, and he is known for traveling to areas of conflict and playing his piano. If you visit my blog post you will see a video of him playing.  I am very much moved every time I listen to him.

As far as the style of my poem, I decided to repeat the word ‘imagine’ in most every verse, to stress the importance of the word for me and, in a small way, to pay tribute to John Lennon’s song and to Davide Martello’s rendition of it in the face of such tragedy.  The message, I would say, mixes hope for peace with my own personal disillusionment that it is possible.

I do keep seeing peace drift further and further away, as I express in the last stanza.  We do, however, somehow have to keep hope alive.  We must continue to imagine……...

Sherry: Yes, against all odds, we must. It is only through our desire and demand for a peaceful world, that it can ever happen. 

Now let's look at Loredana's poem, which was also inspired by the tragic events in Paris. Loredana writes at Blogging Away.  Her poem also reads like a song,  bringing light to our spirits, which may be hanging a little heavy in such times as these. 

LOVE AND LIGHT

let peace

illuminate

the city of lights

let peace

illuminate the world

today, we pray

we grieve

but do not fear

let hope

prevail

despite despair

fall in love again

under a starlit sky

in the city of lights

its people healed

their hearts renewed

let love

surround them

like a beacon of light

today, we pray

we are Paris

~ ~ ~

Sherry: This is very moving, Loredana, as was the response of people around the world, unity in response to terror. "We grieve, but do not fear" and "we are Paris" - so powerful. As is the encouragement to "fall in love again", as life goes on. Tell us about this poem, Loredana.

Loredana: Thank you, Sherry. I'm deeply honored and humbled that you're featuring my peace poem. The poem came to be the night I heard about the terrorist attacks in Paris. I was so saddened by the awful news, and it immediately brought back memories of 9/11. I work in New York City and I feel that by the grace of God, I was spared, as I was not in the office on that fateful day. I thought about the innocent victims, their families, the emotional pain, the devastating loss of loved ones. All I could do was pray, and the poem came to me in the form of a prayer. Paris is known as the city of lights, and while they turned off the lights on the Eiffel Tower, many famous sights around the world turned them on in solidarity. Even the Empire State Building was lit up in red, white and blue. 

And the beautiful light emanating from the stained glass windows in my own Church was inspiring. So light became a metaphor for enlightenment, solidarity, spirituality. And I wanted to send a message of love and light and peace to Paris, to the world, in my own humble way, with my own little poem that came straight from my heart. Wishing all my poet friends at Poets United a peaceful and blessed Holiday Season!


Sherry: What a beautiful story, Loredana. And how close to home the attack in Paris must have felt, as you were closely connected to the events of 9/11. I, too, was moved by all of the red, white and blue lights, lit in solidarity. Thank you for this beautiful prayer.   

I was struck by Anjum's passionate prayer for peace, at her blog, Poetic Oceans. It is a strong, stirring plea for a peaceful world. Let's take a look.

Islamabad Sends Peace To All ~

Be it Paris  NY  Beirut Peshawar or Islamabad

or any other town village or city in the world

when people can walk talk eat or drive with ease 

beauty rests stays prevails, but only with peace

Just like I see you green, manifesting majesty

at the foot of Margalla Hills, so others see, that

are home to them, nations of the world who

live, breathe, and fly freedom flags unfurled

let all be within their own beloved land

green colorful peaceful and grand

Oh My City Dear, send full peace everywhere

we all live on one Earth, planet created

for us all, let us not be oblivious nor close 

our eyes, time flies, life dies, 

save All,

forgive All

Truth will triumph not Lies

Come peace peace peace for All

Spread strong covers 

let Light shine bright, tranquility descend

remove all dislike, drench all anger 

drown all hate,

Let Goodwill stand tall.

Sherry: A cry straight from the heart for peace. Beautifully done! Anjum, what was going through your mind as you wrote this poem?

Anjum: Thank you very much for selecting my Peace Poem. I feel honored and am deeply grateful to You and All at Poets United for your profound encouragement and support.

For quite some time, my heart has been heavy and the spirit laden, though life  is blessed with comfort  at home. Yet when I see deception,injustice,depression,poverty and inequality in my nation, I am grieved to the soul. I realized that all this has increased all over the world also. 

Added to this is the killing of innocent people, dying for no fault of their own, for no purpose and for no crime. When more than 100 children were killed in a school in Peshawar, Pakistan, the grieving heart could not bear anymore. What can I do to lessen this evil killing? what effort can I make for tolerance and peace? While I was still thinking,more innocents were killed, more blood spilled, more mass graves dug...my native land, Kashmir, is bleeding, bleeding for peace...If I cannot leave the house, the least I can and should do is to give a Voice to my Pen and be brave enough to Call Out Loud for Peace. 

And then came Divine Guidance. Words came and this poem was formed with a Call for Peace to All Humanity living on the same planet Earth. And above All,  Poets United is the Sacred Gateway  that leads us ahead and helps to manifest the best that is written. Thank you Poets United.

Sherry: Wow. Thank you, Anjum, for caring so much, for finding these strong and beautiful words, and for your kind message to Poets United. I know that Kashmir is described as a 'Heaven on earth' for its beauty. Your heartbreaking phrase "bleeding for peace" stirs my soul. So many places in the world now lie bleeding, even though most of the citizens of earth long for  peace. We must remember - and insist - that Peace is Possible. If humans can make war, they can make peace.

It is good to contemplate peace, at a time when the world has never needed it more. I love Anjum's question, "What can I do?" Our words, prayers and energy, added to those across the world, hopefully will help turn the tide towards peace on earth that most humans want so much. One can only hope. 

Thank you, Mary, Loredana and Anjum, for adding your voices to the cry for peace.

Next Monday will feature our announcement of a winter break at Poets United, with best wishes to all citizens on earth, in whatever events they may or may not be observing. In the New Year, do come back and see who we talk to next. Who knows? It might be you!