Terrorism in the eyes of the imperial beholder – a poem by Julia Wright

By Julia Wright

the French word
for rabies
is
la rage –
rage or outrage

and
the French have a saying –
a man who wants to get rid of his dog
accuses it of spreading rabies

the people of Gaza
treated as inhuman animals
worse than dogs
are charged
with terrorism

come to think of it
what an honor !

world war two’s resistance
against nazi extermination
was designated
as terrorism
by the Axis allies

what an honor !

Mandela
was monitored
as a terrorist
by the CIA

What an honor !

Tortuguita
peacefully meditating
near Israeli-funded cop city
was executed
in cold blood
on suspicion
of domestic terrorism

What an honor !

in the spirit of Mandela
in the spirit of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising
in the spirit of Tortuguita
in the spirit of Attica
may the anti colonial outrage
of the People of Palestine
contaminate us all –
the only epidemic
worth dying for

(c) Julia Wright. October 17 2023. All Rights Reserved To The family of Wadea Al- Fayoume.