Poem 417 – Welcome to the Neighbourhood

We’ve seen the rubble,
The shattered lives
And hospitals.
We’ve seen demolished
Dreams, and
Universities.
Good news my friend,
We have decided
To lend a hand.

Let us take over;
Kick back your feet,
Relax and sleep,
While we send in
The bulldozers
To build a mall,
Hotels that gleam,
Landscaping and
A golfing green.

What’s that you say?
Don’t worry about,
Just where you’ll live.
I’m sure someone
Will put you up
Somewhere, somewhen,
And hopefully,
When they do,
You’ll have a good view,
Of our brand new,
gleaming neighbourhood.

An instinctive response to Trump’s latest declaration.
(05.02.25)

© Ben Quant 2025
Photo by Courtney Cook on Unsplash

Poem 396 – A Time to Pray

To speak of peace seems premature.
Don’t get me wrong, let’s celebrate
that shots might cease in Palestine
and missiles end and aid come in.
Let’s leap for joy at hostages’
release. However, that’s not new.
This land has known such ‘peace’ before.
True peace, shalom, salam is not
a lack of war, but no suspicion;
it isn’t tribulation’s end
instead its resolution.

News has been growing today of the long longed for ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
(15.01.25)

© Ben Quant 2025
Photo by Dylan Shaw on Unsplash