If democratically elected - Poem by Ivan Donn Carswell

What is it with Hezbollah
representing barely 15%
of the Lebanese Parliament
living outside the government
immersed in an undeclared war,
sympathetic to Hamas and Al Fatah for
the return of Palestinian refugees,
whose obscure and murky origins
are odious amalgamations of violent
Shi’a extremist views, combined to express
the crude and singular elimination of Israel,
the death of the last Jew on earth?
What is it with them that they will gladly
pay a dearth in lives as a common price
for ‘heroic resistance’? It is a nonsense
to declare they are protecting their
people or claim they pursue
legitimate aims of government
when randomly firing missiles
into Israel, supporting open acts
of terrorism, training and equipping militants
to destroy lives and property beyond their borders
– though they do keep a worthy covenant of care
with schools and clinics and good management
in the South where they rule.
The Israelis withdrew in tatters
six years before, it hardly matters
whom history saw as the victors or vanquished,
the sympathy was for shattered lives.
Which are shattered again.
The bombs and the missiles rain death
and destruction in wanton profligacy
while people flee in fear.
Can Hezbollah still claim to care
for their people and yet risk their
innocent lives to Israeli planes
firing guided missiles at Hezbollah
war machines nestled in tranquil villages?
It seems wasted lives and acrimony
is their declared aim – to engender
and enflame hatred by premeditated
acts of murderous, insane hypocrisy.
That is one Hell of a Duty of Care.
And beware, Hezbollah would be
legitimate Government of Lebanon
– if democratically elected.
© I.D. Carswell