What I have

to say

today

yields

no consequence

for the remembrance

of this date.

October 7th,

Israel’s 

September 11th

a year ago,

may become

this year’s

October surprise

if Israel

or Iran

tries

to directly engage

and set

the stage

for 

an all out

war

once again

drawing US in,

and likely

most 

of the world.

But what unfurled

on this date

last year

was clear

to me,

beyond atrocity,

a sick strategy

by Hamas.

Each hostage

and 

the endless

carnage

in the wake

of the break

of humanity,

is a calamity

for generations

whose innovations

will be weapons

of mass destruction.

Ancient tactics

of barbaric assault

ought

to remind us

and caution us

that this

battle for

a piece

of land

is not a battle

for peace.

Framed as

freedom

from oppression

the lesson 

is…..

never learned

or retained.

Hostages

have remained

in captivity

for a year’s

eternity

while a nation

traumatized

and fighting 

two fronts

still hunts

for the bodies

taken.

And Hamas’

indifference

to the significance

of innocence

in Gaza

is matched

by Hezbollah

in Lebanon.

Non-state actors

are key

factors

maintaining

the state

of statelessness 

with relentless

terror. 

But Israel’s

prime minister,

past his prime,

is oh so

sinister.

He’d rather

hold power

at all costs.

Watching atrocities

in the name 

of the state

create

starvation

and destruction

beyond comprehension

has caused suspension

of my belief

in what 

I thought

would be

a unique

democracy.

It’s no longer

home

away from home

or a friend

to defend

without question

and hasn’t been

for a generation.

October 7th

last year

was a Saturday;

a sabbath day

to relax.

The attacks

and lives taken

still leave me

shaken,

and what enfolded

has emboldened

the anti,

as the ante

is upped weekly

in this most

deadly

conflict

inflicted

a year ago

today.

If I knew

how to pray

I’d say,

“Please release

them

from this mayhem

and help us

help them

to live in freedom.

Amen.”

“Oh…

and help

us pursue

peace

and dignity

for all humanity;

help us to 

save democracy.”

Israel-Palestine

may never

combine,

but I’m certainly

not opposed.

It seems

as unlikely

a prospect

could be,

but I thought

that I’d never

see 

an end

to 

The Troubles

in Ireland,

or The Berlin Wall

or smoking.

Will that October

surprise

be the beginning

of the end

or the end

of the beginning?

It doesn’t feel

like

The Hope

anthem

or ransom.

Just a year

of hell

that won’t end

well.