Poetry is the word equivalent of a beating heart, of emotions in line in a rhyme that soothes, quickens, rips out our hearts.

This site is dedicated to giving a voice to the voiceless and raising the awareness of the destruction and devastation faced by many so the few can grow rich, and to encouraging people to take action to create peace in the world.

We are deeply grateful to the poets who have given their considerable talents with words to a humanitarian cry for Peace In Our Name.  These poems are not featured on the Not In Our Name CD, the previous music project we co-created, but are inspirational new contributions.

Leytonstone stabbing - This is for Syria

Guest poem from Heathcote Williams entitled “This is for Syria” following the stabbing at Leytonstone station.

Peace in our name,
We refuse to blame or rename the shame,
Peace in our Name
For the future of our souls we maintain
Unity in our goals...

This is not a broken doll

No, this is not a broken doll.
This is one of many a child.
Killed in a children’s hospital.

For what will we be blamed?
For ruinous and blind deeds;
bombing mothers and children;
the death of the sick and in need

A moment for them
brothers and sisters that have fallen
without a valid reason
ashes blowing in the wind

Syria bombed

In the cradle of the civilised west
he wrests his baby from the twisted mess...

i think of the thinking
that self-brutalises
i think of the brutal
and those brutalised

IF

Knowing that such will obviously flay
The skin from flesh of children who have fled
From homes you phoned to say, “Go! Run away!

Lie here with me
and hear my song
Of love and loss
Of dreadful wrong

Her first born child
Pressed and dressed
against her breast.

In memory of Ali Dawabsheh, an 18 month old Palestinian child burnt to
death in his sleep in July 2015 by illegal Israeli settlers.

Syrian child killed
...Is that my name?
Call me cat and and 
call me if you find my name.
the Face of Allepo
Who are you to speak of love,
Who let evil men steal our land 
Spill our blood upon the soil 
Crush our bones into the sand 
 
Damaged by a protective edge of steel, 
“Never-Again” should mean none are forgot.
Why only in our pain can we be one?
 
Nelson Mandela quote

The scent of freedom
O, Mandela
Your eyes have the color of freedom
O, Mandela

Look, the vile liar and his harpy wife
are standing, waiting for the show to start.

I have seen
the invisible
heard the inaudible
eaten the inedible and
lived the unliveable.

The seas are mined
With refugees
Their stories filled with history.
Sardine-like in the rocking boats

Palestinian olympic swimmer

You are no stranger to the Olympics,
an endurance runner you are
tripping
on the roots of olive trees
uprooted

A human cry
on the wind
Reaches high
A human cry

Snatched and flung in hell and beyond,
His innocence shafted, his childhood gone.
 

I was walking in my holy land
Flying like an innocent bird
And dreaming of my freedom
But surrounded with devils.

Inside your dark cell 
The place is like a hell 
Where you stay alone 
Count day after day 

Gaza, habibti keep standing
by flowers hugging the Moon
and life forever.

​And the seas and rivers and trees whistled the melody of freedom

Nightmares come and go
Try playing tricks to gain your soul
They can't touch you friend
keep yourself in control

A man lays on the floor of a roofless room,
Red liquid spills from his chest like a thousand roses in bloom.

The young Palestinian boy puts on his dead fathers shirt which is worn,
He tries sewing together the two parts of his mum's heart which has been torn.

She holds a tattered teddy bear,
Cotton leaks out - like blood- at the tear.

It's been seventy harvest seasons
And the farmer's still gone .....

Waving my flag 
Once more to the fray                                                  
For all men should die 
In the waves of the marching day

They tell me you killed five kids today 
I hope you made your country proud soldier

I remember the day I got lost in her words 

And her rebel spirit...what a pushover!

You raised in my arms
The blue sky behind you 
My smile reflected twice
in your beautiful green eyes

Charity for Peace in the Middle East