“boys and soccer”

we just took a short walk
to the hotel across the Wall
a well-to-do tourist trap
with nothing at hand to impress
i had already inhaled the history
all the Graffiti Art represented
on that monument of collective shame
the entire land is a museum a gallery
bearing its all to the visiting-pure at heart
a gift shop? i can do without!
gifts are all around
the children's smiles 
their eager words of "Hello"
the warm embrace of their hearts

many boys are before my eyes now
they are playing all kinds of games on the street 
where our comfortable hotel is to be found
soccer catch-a-ball bike-tricks 
hesitant to look us in the eye at first
but in pure smiles a few minutes later
giggle-like laughs back from our end

how they move about at ease
as were all of their families' trials over
a tragic list of events on the walls of their homes
as profoundly etched in memory
as the Wall of collective shame 

oh humanity
why are you so deep asleep
while in bed
when awake as well
take down the walls
as only you can
open your eyes
stop seeing selectively
only united can we embrace ultimate love
not if we take sides electively 

oh humanity
take down all walls of collective shame
each of us needs love's image alone
in our souls' all-embracing precious frame
from this moment on to everyone's eternity


© hülya n. yılmaz (8.12.2018)

[Photo Credit: William S. Peters; Location: Bethlehem, Palestine]