To hold on to my sanity,
I tell the Tale of Palestine
To counter the overwhelming shame of membership in humanity
I tell the Tale of Palestine
To attempt to have some closure after Sabra/Shatila
I tell the tale of Palestine
To lower the voices of the children murdered
I tell the Tale of Palestine
To express my outrage over the murder of Shireen Abu Akleh
I tell the tale of Palestine
To ensure memory eternal for the Dawabshe Family
I tell the tale of Palestine
To express the horror of what happened to Rachel Corrie
I tell the tale of Palestine
To prevent the onset of depression, despondency, and immobilization about the decades-long repression/oppression
I tell the tale of Palestine
To attempt to deal with the appalling apathy of the entire world
I tell the tale of Palestine
To counter the despicable lies of Zionist Israel about my brothers and sisters in Falastin
I tell the tale of Palestine
To attempt to silence the screams of the tortured political prisoners
I tell the tale of Palestine
To block out the visions of children brutalized and kidnapped from their beds
I tell the tale of Palestine
To counter the rage regarding the treatment of Ahmed Manasra
I tell the tale of Palestine
For forty years and counting
I tell the tale of Palestine
To save the soul of humanity
I tell the tale of Palestine
To prevent exploding from the knowledge that my government is completely complicit in Israel’s horrendous deeds
I tell the tale of Palestine
To raise public awareness of the persecution of Christians and Muslims in the Holy land
I tell the tale of Palestine
To bring hope and faith to my entire being
I tell the tale of Palestine
And finally, because Palestine is in my very heart and soul
I tell the tale of Palestine
– Rev. Stephens Brackens Brinkley is a San Diego-based advocate and human rights activist for unarmed civilians living under armed conflict. He contributed this poem to The Palestine Chronicle.
