Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Freedom Came Today

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Freedom came today for Iraqis
in a measured display of shock and
awe that bestowed gratuitous wounds
on thankful souls who’ll line the streets and
greet us as compassionate heroes.

Freedom came today to six hundred
Thousand innocents which, of course, we
Deny as being far too high a
figure based on data from programs
that do not keep track of dead Iraqis.

Freedom came today for poor Sami,
Who was looking for safety but
Found some kindness which blew him away,
So let us play taps to mark when he
Became part of America’s Dream?

Freedom came today for journalist
‘Ali … thrown in jail for possibly
Thirty years since he didn’t have the
Sense to write lies rather than truth
About ruthlessly earned liberty.

Freedom came today for Ayesha
Who was raped by those who set her free.
This sort of special gallantry is
Of course, an anomaly, since they
Normally stick with search and destroy.

Freedom came today for unlucky
Hasan who was trying to see his
Family but ended up naked
In Abu Ghraib with dogs growling,
Devoid of shame, at his dignity.

Freedom came today for Ra’bia
Who was caressed by white phosphorus
Which made her feel all warm and fuzzy
Inside, right down to her small, little
Bones … surely her cup runneth over.

Freedom came today for the masses
Who can, whenever they like, turn on
Faucets empty of water or switch
on lights with no electricity
to illumine tyranny’s just end.

Freedom came today in such neatly
Wrapped packages of hypocrisy
And lies … democracy at its best
Sold as a capital idea to
Peoples hungry for sovereignty.

Freedom came today to greedy ones
Who, out of duty, lobbied their way
to no-bid, cost-plus contracts made in
the secrecy of self-serving ‘facts’
that enriched only non-Iraqis.

Freedom came today in uncivil
Ways, one brother against another,
Locked in malignant enmity set
Loose by U. S. magnanimity …
Oh beautiful, with rapacious eyes.

Freedom came today through plans where bands
of hired guns are inspired to
kill sand-dwellers so wars will not wash
up on homeland shores and mangled lives
can be sanitized through illusions.

Freedom came today when night vision
Goggles found opportunity in
Their sight and those who never saw it
Coming were liberated – strange how
We see their bodies but not their hearts.

Freedom might come today if the good
old USA – despite a touch of
Delusion about its assumed place
In God’s space – would attend to the Ten
Commandments and leave Iraq alone.

Freedom might come today if knowledge
took hold in citizen souls about
Democracy’s decay through abuse
Of power which shackles conscience to
mindless fears of created demons.

----------------

If you would like to listen to the foregoing poem,
accompanied by music, then, please go to: Spiritual-Health.org


3 comments:

Lara Braveheart said...

Thanks Anab.. for sharing this from your heart... Thank you~

Anab Whitehouse said...

Dear Lara,

I went to your blog and read a little of your autobiographical material, as well as some of your comments, thoughts, and feelings about Peak-Oil and a variety of related topics. A great deal of what you say and have gone through resonates with my own sense of things.

In one part that I read you give a quote from Michael Ruppert who refers to a dear friend, Dr. Faiz Khan, who also, it turns out is a friend of mine -- so six degrees of separation seems to be in order here.

Your blog is so rich with details and reflections that I hope to be able to visit it again in the near future. Whether I do or don't I'm sure is immaterial to you, but I wanted you to know that you aren't crazy ... although I'm sure you know this, sometimes it is nice to get consensual validation from another human being -- and that you have a great deal to say which will be, God willing, of considerable value to anyone who has a heart with which to listen.

When the Peak-Oil crunch comes -- and, this may be sooner rather than later -- I hope that my wife and I might be fortunate enough [if we have not been killed off for someone's convenience] to have neighbors like you who, despite whatever differences might exist, are committed to being fully human with considerable integrity of being.

I admire and respect what you have done and who you are as a person.

I wondered if the Braveheart part of your moniker has anything to do with William Wallace? Freeeeeeeeeeeedom!

Freedom to be human. Freedom to be compassioate. Freedom to be just. Freedom to be kind. Freedom to be generous. Freedom to be charitable. Freedom to seek forgiveness and to be forgiving. Freedom to be tolerant. Freedom to be peaceful. Freedom to love. Amen.

zanjabil said...

The pen is indeed mightier than the sword.