Points

 

Look closer, fool.

There are five points

on this star, not six. 

No need to bash me

(or stab or shoot me)

for being a Jew. 

Though 

you might want to burn me

for being a witch.

More reasons than one, today

to hide my pentacle

under my shirt.

The Jewish Star of David is a six-pointed star. A pentagram is a five-pointed star. A five-pointed star in a circle is called a pentacle, and is regarded by Pagans (which includes witches) as a symbol of The Goddess. Most witches do wear our pentacles – and most wear them hidden under our clothing, because people of other spiritual paths sometimes have very strange ideas about witches and can express hostility in ways we'd rather live without. 

Lately, many people are horrified at what has been going on in Gaza, and feel angry with the Israeli government. (This does not mean we condone the also-horrifying actions of Hammas, to which Israel responded in this way.) Some people blindly blame all Jews for the situation in Gaza, and use that as an excuse for antisemitic attacks.

Many people commonly mistake the pentacle for a Star of David – which gives Pagans all the more reason to keep our pentacles hidden now.

[It's a bit of a worry when the notes are longer than the poem!]

*********

Sharing this with Poets and Storytellers United for Friday Writings #217: Your Message to the World. This poem may seem like a very small and personal message in the face of the large things which are going on in the world at present – but I would like to think it addresses ways in which larger evils can both begin and be expressed.

Light Dims on Bondi Beach

 

Rifle shots darken 

day, mood, life force.

Killing Jews in Australia

doesn’t save Palestinians 

suffering in Gaza. Just as

slaughtering people in Gaza

has not stopped terrorists.

What, then? Hibernate? Enter 

the darkness? Escape 

under that blanket, despair?

Or light our candles

for all?

Written for Quadrille #238 at dVerse: 44 words including ‘hibernate’.

People have been lighting candles for those  killed in the recent Bondi Beach attack on civilians celebrating Hanukkah. Others are asking why we don't do that for the victims of the genocide in Gaza.