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Anti-War Haiku Wall

Roma 16th March: very strong, frost wind.

Windy night
candle lights
against the storm

Little, silent lights
their flames stronger
than a scream

Vesta's temple (*)
guardians of the fire
let us watch over peace

(*) Vesta is the Roman goddes of fire, her priestesses were the virgin vestals. Their duty was to tend the
sacred fire so that it would not die out. Her circular temple rises close to an ancient church - S. Maria in
Cosmedin - where the famous Bocca della Verità - Truth's mouth - is. I think that it is not by mere chance that the temple and the Truth's mouth are so near. We must tend the fire of peace with the courage of
truth against all kinds of violence.

Moussia (Italy)

faces of peace - faces of war

There was a small peace vigil in Harajuku, Tokyo in front of a large Shinto
shrine named Meiji Shrine. Shinto has had a strong connection with the WWII
and nationalism Someone said to me, "Why are you having the peace vigil in
front of that shrine that stands for militarism?"

"Why not," I replied. "Isn't it even more relevant there?

It was raining. About half of the people gathered were Japanese and the
other half Westerners. The candles lighted young and old faces. It was very
quiet for a while, and then we chanted. Some of us were praying silently.
Later we walked together and a few sang '60's peace songs. Compared to the
anti-war marches it was calm and solemn. I think we all felt the weight of
what could happen.

the sky grows dark
with the sound of bombers
a girl lifts up her face
such a fragile, curious face
like the pilot's sister

Armies once fought war face to face and those faces haunted the living for
the rest of their lives. Now the propaganda and double-speak of wars goes on
as before, but there is a radical change. The wars of the 20th and 21st
centuries have no faces.

Carmen Sterba (Japan)

We are peace vigilantes, taking peace into our own hands.

Saturday, we attended a peace march in San Francisco, starting
at the Civic Center and taking the march into the black community.

direct action
the peace march heads
to the fillmore

babies in backpacks
police helicopters circle
the marchers

Yesterday, we joined the prayer vigil in Ben Lomond (population
3000). 125 people with candles gathered on the corner to witness
for peace.

candles in the wind
many voices join
in song

Heather Madrone (USA)

drums of war
candle flames dim
in the rockets red glare

soji (USA)

one simple way
to show your inner peace
a light in your window

call for peace
historic mobilization
in the end

in her window
a Christmas string
bulbs for peace

come together
in thousands of towns
vigils for peace

moon-lit night
providing a beautiful setting
give us peace

an old lady
walking with her stick
against the war

holding candles
lining the edge of a fountain
fingers in peace signs

one participant
with her native drum
led us in a chant

Geert Verbeke (Flanders)

 

la lune très blanche
au-dessus des arbres
durant la veillée

avant d'allumer les bougies
la lune très blanche
au-dessus des arbres

veille de guerre --
et toutes ces fleurs
dans mon jardin

avant la guerre
quelques bougies
pour la nuit

Serge Tomé (Belgium)