Abstract
Light a candle for human animals the people of Gaza;
Light a candle because promises were made—
“I have ordered a complete siege on the Gaza Strip. There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is closed.”
—and kept.
Hold a candle in the crevice where a crushed child hopes until her last gasp evaporates.
Light a candle to find her fingers, which still wiggle though the arm is feet from the rest of the body.
Light a candle and scream.
Weep.
Then light a candle and stand.
Your outrage, your righteous indignation, they will be used against you.
So, light a candle to express your compassion meditatively.
Light a candle in perpetual vigil.
Light a candle while you fast.
Light a candle for reason. For the triumph of science over faith, except when it matters.
Light a candle if you are afraid to speak.
Hold the candle firmly and speak, nevertheless. Genocide.
Light a candle for praises on the lips of the dying.
Light a candle for unencumbered transitions to the place where souls rest.
Light a candle for Mother Earth, fat lady of the Global South.
She has yet to sing.
To view the original version of this poem, see the supplemental material section of this article online.
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Supplementary Material
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