She Died for Palestine
In memory of Rachel Corrie
Like all things pure and precious
Like holy bread and wine
I love the radiant Rachel
Who died for Palestine.
Beautiful in life … Beautiful in death
… cut down like a flower of the field
Once through a green field drifting
In the doldrums of the day
Watching ravens peck out lambs’ eyes
In their cruel, gloating way:
“You take the gun. You shoot. You do what you want.”— Israeli soldier
“The Palestinians are beasts walking on two legs.” — Menahim Begin
I remembered, I remembered,
How those raptors vulturine
Seized the land and plagued the people
Of historic Palestine.
Deir Yassin, April, 1948
… and elsewhere
The Massacre of the Innocents.
“We shall have no pity on them until we shall have destroyed their so-called Arab culture, on the ruins of which we shall build our own civilization.” — Menachem Begin
How the snipers on the rooftops,
Armed with Uzis, standing tall,
Splash the blood of little children
On the weeping classroom walls.
How the settlers spit on Christians
In the land where Jesus died—
And how those who do the spitting
Have the world upon their side.
“I know Christians who lock themselves indoors during the entire Purim holiday,” — Daniel Rossing.
How they bulldoze people’s houses
Till the roofs crash on their heads
And the women lie all broken
With their babies in their beds.
How the wolfish killers wander
Through a vale of endless tears
Shooting children in their faces
While the world stands by and cheers.
How the bright-eyed Rachel Corries
Lie in cemeteries dead
While the birds of prey grow fatter—
And the world just turns its head.
Christ, come back and save these children—
Put an end to all their pain!
Put an end to evil Zion!
Palestine, come back again!
“The difference between a Jewish soul and the soul of non-Jews
is greater and deeper than the difference between a human soul
and the soul of cattle.”
Dr. Lasha Darkmoon (email her) is an academic, age 31, with higher degrees in classics. A published poet and translator, she is also a political activist with a special interest in Middle Eastern affairs. ‘Lasha Darkmoon’ is a pen name.
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