A Salute to the Victims of Hate

Spare a moment to salute the dead; (Grieve oh grieve for victims who died!) Facing religious extremists in dread, For their beliefs their lives denied. Those in Paris knew not their fate – (Mourn oh mourn for those who died!) Slaughtered by guns of killers who rate Life so low and lives deride. Deadly evil from Islamic State – Sigh oh sigh for those who perished! - Killed by actions of those who hate A devil that stalks, a fiend that’s cherished. Darkness can never repel the dark (Pray oh pray for the custodians of hate!) Can we, this evil, ever forgive? Only evil can evil dictate. All of us, whatever belief, Renounce, renounce such hate demonic That brings to many, abysmal grief - By extremist actions so diabolic. And now, whatever religion or creed, For mercy, justice and peace we plead. 16 November 2015 This poem was written on 16 November 2015, the day after the massacres in Paris and following many months of tragedies: the bombing of the Russian air-liner in October, the slaughter of the children of Peshawar, the beheading of western correspondents in Iraq by members of IS, and the continuing death and destruction in Syria – and many others. This is based on an earlier poem of mine - 'A Salute to the Dead' of January 2015. I have added another verse and made some slight alterations in this latest version of this poem.