
W H Y
I feel pain, my tears fall
as pictures show the terror and angst,
of children, women and men
Bleeding, terrified, confused.
Their pain is indescribable and all this
Because of one mad and power hungry man.
How do these murderers get so far?
How did they get so many to obey,
Answer us now, why and how.
Did they follow this bully turned killer?
From the schoolyard and on,
are they so scared that a NO
might make them victims too?
Sun is shining this morning and I watch
people walking their dogs, children go to school.
It isn’t so difficult to live in peace
So Why?
© miriam ivarson
The questions of the hour Miriam in poetry … how and why? it is so upsetting.
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Thank you, Janice. Glad to hear you join me in this poem.
miriam
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I certainly do. It added clarity to my feelings.
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Thank you for caring and questioning the madness Miriam. There are no good answers, except more of us need to say no to war and yes to peace.
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Brad, your comments are always welcome and I thank you for today’s. I guess there are answers but in order to work they need all hearts to be free from anger, hate, greed……and so much more.
yes to peace.
Miriam
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Agreed.
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Thank you for a beautiful and thought-provoking poem! I found it profound and powerful 🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
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Dearest Luisa, thank you for your beautiful and uplifting comment. It is a treasure to be the recipient.
miriam
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You are too kind, Miriam, and I thank heaven for having met you
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It should not be allowed to happen. This world needs a radical shift. 🕊
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Thank you for your comment, Alethea. You are right, the radical shift has to be within every human being.
A simple and yet the most difficult state to achieve.
miriam
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It is so upsetting to see these type of men who think heartlessly and kill mercilessly. You have written so well, Miriam.
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Kamal, thank you for your warm and deeply felt comment. “The answer my friend, is flying in the wind”…
and within our hearts.
miriam
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You are always welcome dear Miriam.
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There have been crazy despots in every era! Alas no lessons have been learnt by such self-centered tyrants that they too return to the dust. Your poem is a powerful cry Miriam. Thanks for highlighting the issue.
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Thank you, dear Balroop, for your heartfelt comment. I do feel like crying out the message loud but am
aware how small my voice is. However, the more voices, the stronger the message.
Peace and love.
miriam
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My heart bleeds with yours. Thank you for expressing it so beautifully.
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Thank you Anne, for your lovely comment. I am glad to have your company.
I am glad to see that so many agree around the world.
Bless.
Miriam
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This is heartening that people are paying attention all over the world.
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What a beautifully written poem, Miriam. And that photograph is extraordinary, whether yours or someone else’s. Why, indeed can we not live in peace? I don’t know what mandates that the world be run by bullies. Why doesn’t someone just put them all in a room and let them blow each other’s heads off, if that’s what they want to do. It’s always about terrorizing and cowing the masses. Control.
Throughout history, way way back, it has ever been so. The world will change when we demand it. Yet fear is such an incredible motivator for said masses. Courage is always an opportunity. And peace IS possible. Where are our courageous leaders? Being vilified by big money interest media? Why do we believe a biased media? Do we know who owns these media giants? A very few very wealthy people, that is who.
When will people wake up and take action? Or is it really so much more comfortable to sit back and watch TV while the world continues to suffer from citizen complicity? I guess that for many, it’s not real until it hits home, quite literally, and even then, panic instead of reason takes over. Time to birth a new world based on cooperation instead of this incessant conflict. Peace. 🌏🌿🙏
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Bela, a warm thank you for your kind and appreciative comment. There are, I believe, a number of reasons why leaders like these are voted in. At times vote, at others through military coups . I am sure you know through history.
Established, there is fear controlling the masses. As you say, courage is an way, frightening in some countries. This is what Ukraina shows now. And the protesting Russians.
Peace is possible. Many countries do have it. May we all care and respect each other.
miriam
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May we live to see that come to pass! 🌏🙏🌿
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I’ve asked the same question Miriam, how can he be allowed to just get away with it. You ask it much more eloquently.
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Thank you, Andrea, for your wise and appreciative comment. Without hope we would be nothing so
may this be a time when cruelty does not prevail.
miriam
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HI Miriam, I read a great many books about war. It is a subject that fascinates me as I attempt to probe why mankind feels a need to keep destroying its own creations, taking from others, and killing. I find no real answers except for greed. Greed for money and power. A great poem.
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Thank you, Robbie, for your strong comment and your kind words. Like you I also ask how come
people who do not care for the people get to lead millions. Greed and power hunger are definately
some of the backgrounds. There must also be some sickness of the soul that enables them to cause
such cruelty and pain.
Yet, there are so many good people on Earth.
miriam
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I know exactly how you feel, Miriam. These are the questions that I grapple with too.
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Reblogged this on The Reluctant Poet.
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Very powerful! Peace and prayers!
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Thank you, I am glad my words harmonised with your feelings.
Peace to you right back.
Miriam
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I often wonder this, too, Miriam. “How do these murderers get so far?” It’s important to keep asking, and also to say no to war and yes to peace, as Brad wrote.
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Thank you, Jo-Anna. Yes, it is important to ask why and how. We have many answers within us but yet, how do so many follow?
At the same time the cruelty has highlighted courage and love as we can see from Ukraine today ..
How empty a soul must be to live with so much darkness within.
Miriam
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Miriam, your powerful poetic question is one that we are all asking – your words cry with angst and despair, the eternal question of why on our minds! A week on the horrors multiply and become unfathomable; your question more pertinent than ever. Why? Is there no one near to the man who will dare say No! In these grim and uncertain times the light is the indomitable strength of so many, the kindness and care for fellow human beings.
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Dear Annika, thank you for your strong and beautiful comment. I quote you :
“In these grim and uncertain times the light is the indomitable strength of so many, the kindness and care for fellow human beings. ”
I so agree with your words, it is a time when we see the best in human beings and the worst. Light and dark again.
Hug
miriam
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Beautiful words to such a difficult question, a question that never should have to be asked ~ and for all the injustice and actions that goes against who we are. It tears at the soul.
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It does indeed tear at the soul, Dalo, and thank you for your beautiful comment. How wonderful it would be if we didn’t have to ask why. Only if all human beings wanted well for each other.
miriam
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Ahhh Miriam… such power and beauty and sorrow in your words.
When I think of the power of that one man, I try to remind myself that he too was once a little boy, born like all of us of a mother’s womb. I try to imagine him playing with his toys. Running down the street. Riding his bike and then… I cannot help but wonder… what happened? Just as I wonder with serial killers and those who build Ponzi schemes and greedily acquire more and more wealth for the sake of more and more and those who spout racism and hatred… what happened?
As you so beautifully responded to one of your readers, “How empty a soul must be to live with so much darkness within.”
Perhaps it is that emptiness that has no end they must fill and fill and fill and fill with whatever assuages their pain.
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Louise, you bestow an honour on me with your deep and thoughtful comment. Thank you.
I follow your thoughts of any which of them as newborn and little boys.
There are well researched books that will give us an insight. What would one find?
Psychologically it is fascinating, in real life quite grim.
🦋
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I love the atmosphere you create in this lovely poem that poses the sunshine against the darkness and tries, as we all try, to find an answer . . . ❤
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Thank you, Jaya, for your lovely comment. As you say and all agree, it isn’t
an easy question to answer. We might find many bits of answers but to cover the totality is another task.
Miriam
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