From the river to the sea
Israel can and cannot be

A great sadness grips us
in the distance, a monster
ogre, giant, balrog, Grendel

We travel in scars
we travel in scars
walk of Elysium, but not yet for this wound

Israel, the colonizers, their victory more important than life
Palestinians, we won’t forget you

We are walking through knives

From the river to the sea
Palestine can and cannot be

Us Britons, writing poems in perfect safety, aren’t we clever
get back out on the streets, your highness?

Princess and the pea
may Israel never stop noticing the pea

Tired eyes, we think on appetite
and evil winches up a flag
shields and spears of justifications

Eye for an eye
and now the whole world is blind
we see through cataracts
and sightless we make our simple fuss

Is resolution possible
when justice means taking a side?
Defending a position?

No sitting on the sidelines
letting the river of Israeli aggression pour forth
erect a dam against the torrent

Coaxed by our shame
we take to the streets
force the politicians to take note
with feet and song we make our vote

Palestinians swim
from the river to the sea
let their heads stay above water
from the river to the sea

A city of two Gods
a tale of two cities
around and around
blood by blight
sink or swim
decades of vendettas

Cain kills Abel in an olive grove
the olive grove where Jesus walked
Two men looked out through prison bars
one saw mud, the other stars