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Open Poetry #47
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OwlSA
Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa

0 posted 2011-11-13 01:34 AM



HITLER,  OSAMA BIN LADEN AND JEFFREY DAHMER ROLLED INTO ONE
13 November 2011

What can I do?
I have no money.
I have no time.
My sobs and
this stupid little non-poem
don’t help
a nation in crisis
unnecessarily.

Seven hundred million US dollars
will beef up Zimbabwe’s primary health care system
and bring health care for all.
I don’t have seven hundred million US dollars.
Do you?
All I can do is pray
power-punch prayers
and to ask you
to do the same . . . please
because sincere, heartfelt prayers of faith,
especially powerpunch prayers
work -
I know -
I truly know
and miracles happen.
I know that too.
I have known many, many miracles,
and, if you, like me, look around you,
and into yourself,
you will see them too.

Zimbabwe, once-thriving,
in the 1980’s and 1990’s
had one of the best primary health care systems
in the world.

Now, one in three children in are malnourished.
Eight women die every day
from pregnancy-related causes.

The structures are still there,
but dilapidated
and without resources.
With ninety percent unemployment
nobody can afford to pay for primary care
and people die for want of transport
in a non-existent ambulance
or even rickety private transport
to the nearest rural hospital -
which in any case
has no blood, no electricity, no sutures, no gloves -
nor can they travel distances of two hundred and fifty kilometres
to a provincial hospital that has slightly better resources.

Since 2000 the economy has dropped by half.
Mugabe and his crazed supporters are, systematically
and without conscience,
strangling Tswangurai’s efforts.

UNICEF is helping now.
Rural clinics are opening their doors.
The government,
despite everything,
is launching a program
which will abolish user fees
once and for all.

This is good news
but will take time
and doesn’t help
a woman dying of loss of blood
this moment, as you read this,
nor a child whose bones are
bursting out of his or her body
from malnutrition right now,
and the turn-around should not dry our tears,
nor our consciences,
nor our prayers.
Please care.

Owl

© Copyright 2011 Diana van den Berg - All Rights Reserved
Margherita
Member Seraphic
since 2003-02-08
Posts 22236
Eternity
1 posted 2011-11-13 08:49 AM


I join in prayer, dear Owl.

Your caring becomes our caring through your compassionate words.

Love and peace.
Margherita

Earth Angel
Member Empyrean
since 2002-08-27
Posts 40215
Realms of Light
2 posted 2011-11-13 11:01 AM


Your impassioned, sanguine words stream down the page and I was caught up in the bloody flow. The human suffering is unfathomable ~ it defies description, however, my dear wise and compassionate OWL, you have found the words. We are all in this together on our lone blue planet. No man/woman/ or child is an island ~ or at least they shouldn't be.

Like Margherita, I am joining in your power punch prayers. Yours have worked for me, my friend.

With much love,
Linda

OwlSA
Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa
3 posted 2011-11-14 12:12 PM


Heartfelt thanks, Margherita, for your prayers and your compassionate caring for Mugabe’s victims .  

Thank you, Linda, for your compassionate caring and your prayers.  Know that my powerpunch prayers for you continue as always.  I am glad they have helped, but I believe it is the combined prayers of all the people who love you that have brought you God’s miracles.

Owl

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