This poem is supposed to draw a stark contrast between William Blake’s visionary ideal of Jerusalem as a symbol of peace and spiritual renewal, and the harsh realities of today’s Jerusalem, Israeli policies, and the ongoing suffering of Palestinians in Gaza. It confronts the devastation wrought by political decisions and military actions, refusing to cloak these tragedies with ancient m...

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A man of gold, yet poor in soul, Whose heart hath naught to grasp the whole. No love for art, no ear for song, Whose mind recoils from right and wrong. A golden tie, a stiff applause, He sat, bemused, without a cause. The songs of sorrow brushed his coat, He missed the point, he cleared his throat. Beside him, smiles for magazine, Not much was said, not much was seen. The ro...

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They tell us all to climb the tree,
To reach what hangs for all to see.
But though we stretch and though we try,
The fruit remains too far, too high.

A fox will feast, a lion dine,
While sparrows peck at crumbs and pine.
The branches bend for weight and pride,
But never lean to those outside.

We’re told, “Grow strong, and you may rise—
The climb is fair, the prize the prize.”
Yet roo...

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In these challenging times, this limerick tries to capture the destructive force of all the "isms"—racism, antisemitism, extremism and others—shaping a world where security and peace seem ever more distant. By highlighting the deep-rooted nature of these hatreds, it emphasises how they threaten our safety and undermine the unity we desperately need. A call to action against intolerance, this piece...

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The tide is rising with corrosive lies,

Where ignorance and rage entwine in dark disguise.

Unmoored from truth, they shout and blind the mind,

And reason, silenced, falters, left behind.

 

Young hearts, unshielded, gripped by twisted creed,

Through platforms pulsing with a poisoned feed,

Fall prey to rhetoric of scorn and spite,

As venom fills the streams and taints the nig...

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