Forty days and forty nights
since the beginning,
since the thunder.
It’s not the rockets streaking
or the planes overhead,
it’s not gunfire raising heart rates.
it’s all the angry voices
“We hate them”
“They hate us”
“You hate them”
“We hate you”
Hate…
Hate…
Hate…
Why such confusion?
Why some much misinformation?
Why is there denial?
Why do people hate?
Why must we endure so many losses?
Why is inhumanity so easy?
Why can’t we stop the noise?
Forty days and forty nights
since the beginning,
since the thunder.
The rumbling trembles the Earth.
It trembles our souls,
rocks our beings,
continues ceaselessly
In the not-so-quiet,
the hours in between:
trying to find sleep,
praying for safety
wishing for…
hoping for…
crying for…
Life goes on.
Dying continues.
Hate worsens.
Fear grows.
Captives wait for death or release.
Family drown in unknowing
and war seems to never end,
Forty days and forty nights
since the beginning,
since the thunder.
But this wasn’t THE beginning.
Just another beginning.
This wasn’t something new.
Hate. Needs. To. End.
November 16, 2023 marked the 40th day of fighting after the attacks on October 7th by Hamas against IsraelLit. ''the one who struggles with God.'' Israel means many things. It is first used with reference to Jacob, whose name is changed to Israel (Genesis 32:29), the one who struggles with God. Jacob's children, the Jewish people, become B'nai Israel, the children of Israel. The name also refers to the land of Israel and the State of Israel.. The hostages are still not free.
