There's an olive tree in Palestine

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Since the escalation in the Gaza Strip began on 10 May, 40 Palestinian children have been killed, with many more injured and displaced. Prior to this escalation, 1 in 3 children in the Gaza Strip required psychosocial support for conflict-related trauma. That number has now undoubtedly risen. Children must be protected.

Find the young boy under the old olive tree 

the shade going all the way to his tiny shins

with a broken flag hidden under his knees 

as he sings:

 

I don’t know how

will I ever return to that place

where the sun never sets / and the birds fly high as they play,

where the moon just stands there and waits

 

For some sign that is time for the sun to rest,

 

It’s a devout and sacred ground

Golden sand and high marbled clouds

Where the people once dance around,

 

a joyful scene, My dear, 

I feel as I'm lost and I’ll never be found,

 

The farmer comes asking from where he came

A curious look with a concerned stare

For he has seen pain but is never quite the same

And the boy sings:

 

I have seen

the worlds most beautiful temple / blue as the sea,

And the people, they all gathered around

Hearts on their hands and love in their eyes

as they sang the words to the most beautiful sound

 

Asking God, 

If one day he’ll ever come down,

 

And the boy cried for home / he yearned for peace and to feel whole,

but he felt the earth shake and so did his bones,

now all he can do to forget and regrow

is pray for the sky to swallow their bombs,

 

but the sky watches as his city burns in flames

as the boy clings to the old olive tree 

For is the one thing they’ll never take away

Palestine, he’ll never forget your name

 

It is here where I'll lay,

Forever cannot be changed, 

Deep are my roots and so is my faith

No matter the unknown steps, I will never welcome fear nor shame

For I was born in the worlds most beautiful place.

Poetry