! ! Saying The Unspeakable Poem by Michael Shepherd

! ! Saying The Unspeakable

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Such as President Obama
may not say it; but I
who am nobody, may speak it:

the God of many names and One
does not wish division;
you and I (there are no others?)
do not wish division;
who makes division?

Why do all seek an ‘enemy’?
The dispossessed invent an enemy
on whom to blame their plight;

the rich invent an enemy
to excuse their greed;

those who worship God under one name
make enemy of those who worship God
under another name;

even those who worship God under the same name
make sects in order to invent an enemy;

is it because it is easier
to make an enemy than a friend?

is it easier to fear
than to love?

is it easier to hate
than to love?

is it easier to count to two
than think of three or one?

do we feel more powerful
if we have an enemy?

and now we fire at enemies
invisible beyond the horizon..

are enemies more attractive
to our life than friends?

Tell me, poets, tell me, sages;
tell me, saints; oh tell me God;

tell me, arithmeticians:
when division multiplies

our enemies, why do we
so love division?

The God of many names and One
makes division in Himself
with love and without hate;

you and I (there are no others?)
love each other all the more
in the sameness of our differences;

does human kind
now hate itself so much?

who thinks division, loves division?
makes an enemy of otherness?
forgets that God is One?

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Fay Slimm 04 June 2009

Age-old questions here Michael and reinforced to effect in your fine appeal.... why oh why do we war and not make peace - -and why see the mud and not the stars in each other - - maybe one day the world will be led to the answer.... meanwhile thank you for this thought provoker dear friend.....10 and more from Fay...xx

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Tia Maria 04 June 2009

This is possibly one of the most incredible poems I have ever discovered..... Unspeakable? ? ? Just today I was very moved by a couple of lines I caught on the radio wherein Barak basically said we are one... that he was of muslim background but living in a christian enviroment now and how we need to communicate & respect all. I think he possibly could be the most respected leader, worldwide, to date & I pray he will succeed as a mediator in this crazy world.

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Michael Shepherd

Michael Shepherd

Marton, Lancashire
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