April 24 (again)
dichotomies highlight
complexities existing
in our hearts, souls and minds
warped by news and
fake news or just
plain old propaganda
chanting never again
never again!
never again!!
to no! not again!
not again, no,
no, not again…
we gotta do something!
we must do something!
it has to stop
Can somebody do something?
say those who can’t
do very much
grandchild of a genocide
of a genocide survivor
pulled every which way
by what we see
happening now
by what we see and
can do nothing about
reminds us
how they, yeah they,
our tshnamis
emptied us from our lands
and then dismantled
anything, everything
anything that mighta
shown we were there
we were once there
on what were our lands
our “we lived there
forever” lands
they destroyed
our churches or
made ’em mosques
or worse, barns
now carpeted
in işı budur
but we still
got the photos of…
holy mother of god
they just did it again
no, not again!
now others, once victims
are ‘perpetrating’
emptying others
new victims
from their lands
their “we lived there
forever” lands
these perpetrators
doing it better,
more efficiently
emptying the lands
blowing up everything
all of their everythings
blowing up their homes
with them still in them
they have to leave
there is nothing
no reason to stay
people gone
evidence rubbled
in one vile
massive
genocidal
war crime…
so what if it,
this crime,
every heinous act
documented and
social mediaed
in real time and
we all feel lost,
horrible, emptied
sad, devastated
many of us
give a s*t
and no one
no country
no person
that could make
any difference does
a damn thing
war by remote control
the ultimate, efficient,
obscene and vile,
violent abstraction
This poem was drafted while listening to the laments at the TAYF concert.
Azerbaijan’s cultural Armenian Genocide is no different from the Taliban’s and ISIS’ systematic destruction of cultural heritage, which caused global headlines and outrage. This is partly a rhetorical question, but why is Azerbaijan’s systematic destruction of Armenian cultural heritage almost never reported in the news, let alone condemned internationally? Likewise, why does the plight and suffering of Armenians not attract the world’s attention and sympathy, let alone lead to protests around the world, as in the case of Palestinians?
It is beyond frustrating Steve how much we are ignored?
Is it just numbers? Is it on purpose?
The world’s indifference and silence to the suffering of the Armenians is indeed deeply frustrating and troubling. I try to fathom the reason for this utter indifference and silence. I believe this indifference and silence stems not only from ignorance, I also believe it is on purpose.
Khirimian Hyrig’s charge is still valid. If we want our share of herissah from the global bowl, we have to have an iron ladle.
100%
Insularity, when there’s wrongs elsewhere in the world Armenians are very good at keeping a low profile and “we’re Armenian, it’s not our matter and thus we don’t wish to get involved” which is why most of world is ambivalent towards Armenians as they aren’t seen as an interfering people, however when Armenia is under attack other people just look on and shrug shoulders with indifference.
Good point.