Light a Candle

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.