Ode To A Wartorn Land

In Palestine early feet were Canaanites

Archaeologists study ancient Ugarit rights

As Cananaum, scholars recall that land

Of cana'ani, their word for a merchant

Jericho City where civilisation started

Mankind's famed fountain for selling salt

Bronze-Age Jericho's walls reached heaven

So massive that no man ever scaled them

Across River Jordan hungry people hunting

Under Joshua's flapping standard, besieging

Soldiers man the city walls, arrows flying!

Smoke and screaming everywhere, hear dying

Finally, a breach is made! Jericho undone!

Ancient texts speak of battles Joshua won

On Vespasian and Titus no lessons were lost

Rome destroyed Jerusalem, who knows the cost?

British UN mandate plagued by fierce Irgun

From King David Hotel many floors were blown!

David Ben Gurion declares Israel's existence

Arab states contest with military insistence!

Israeli military heroes, legend. A state born

Arab countries thrice defeated, a truce worn

Peace of Olmert and Hamas shelled on Gaza beach

Beit Lahia's massacre put accord beyond reach

Hezbollah capture soldiers, Israel distraught!

Over history's myriad issues battles are fought

The tribes of Israel and Palestine are many

You imagine peace! Personally, I don't see any!

Patrick Mackeown

www.bookscape.co.uk

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