Daffodils Dark Dripping Dank
(In Response to a Prompt from Rachel Deeming
She stands there silent,
not fifty meters from my post,
dark daffodils dripping dank
in her hands.
.
Staring blank.
.
Not one step closer
she knows ‘tis forbidden
though what she needs
is here.
.
With me.
.
They’re watching my duty,
observing my all,
though my heart may be yearning
to reach out.
.
I cannot.
.
I know what she wants,
what she needs from me,
standing there staring
quiet & still.
.
Shalom. Salam.
.
Dark daffodils in her hands,
dripping dank with hope,
with promise forestalled,
hungry with thirst.
.
Freedom denied.
.
Why does she stare,
this child barely five,
all her tears spent,
dried on her cheeks?
.
Streaked & dirty.
.
Daffodils dark,
from whence have they come,
ever dank with despair
coldly dripping?
.
Unnerving.
.
Averting my eyes,
ignoring her plight,
all the world watching,
eyes upon me.
.
Dangerous times.
.
Our leaders have told us,
drilled into our heads,
it will be our destruction
should I waver.
.
Who’s with her?
.
I see only shadows,
daffodils dark,
dripping dank down my throat,
hard to swallow.
.
I shoulder.
.
My rifle in hand,
I wave her away,
still she stands staring blank,
staring through me.
.
I’m breaking.
.
I’m wanting to run to her,
hold her so tightly,
to say this will pass,
soon be over.
.
Knowing better.
.
My leaders won’t barter,
hers will not bend,
this apartheid between us
ne’er ending.
.
Unending.
.
Do I see something else,
held so tight in her hands,
within daffodils dark,
dankly dripping?
.
Threatening?
.
I look through my scope,
see a shade something wrong,
in the hands of this child,
pull the trigger.
.
She falls.
.
I kneel down beside her,
remove from her hands,
only daffodils dark,
dankly dripping.
.
Eyes still open.
.
Return to my post,
heavy heart but full knowing,
that no one was watching
her falling.
.
Collateral.
.
Begging the moment
when all this will change,
but ‘til then I’ll hold onto
these daffodils dark dripping dank.
.
Never leaving.
.
Written for all those on both sides of this Palestinian-Israeli conflict, especially for those innumerable & all too often unnamed as anything more than collateral damage. And for those who cannot imagine peace from either side, may our hearts, hopes & realities soon be changed, for truly we are sisters & brothers one to another.
About the Creator
Randy Wayne Jellison-Knock
Retired Ordained Elder in The United Methodist Church having served for a total of 30 years in Missouri, South Dakota & Kansas.
Born in Watertown, SD on 9/26/1959. Married to Sandra Jellison-Knock on 1/24/1986. One son, Keenan, deceased.
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Comments (38)
Absolutely heartbreaking, and so powerful. Well done, this can’t have been easy to write. Hopefully one day we can have peace on earth amongst all humans 🤍
I really like this. Reading it flowed like a river!
Oh this is so traumatic, beautifully evoking the humanity of the situation.
You wrote a very thought-provoking poignant poem here. I could feel the words as I read. Sadly, beautiful.Well done.
Your stat is challenging your story is so beautiful you write like this you will be a great writer I wish and yes one more thing please open my vocal id and a story come later
This one was hard to read knowing and thinking of the innocent lives lost in all conflicts
So powerful. Thank you!
Thank you
Congrats on Top Story!!
A sad reality. Stunning work! Very very well done Randy!
Beautifully written but so heartbreaking Randy 🤍 Why do we never bloody learn?
Hats off to your work! Keep it going—congrats!
My heart breaks. Thank you for writing this. Well deserved top story.
Gosh. This was so good. Really highlights the futility of war. Great piece.
Heartbreaking!!! Congratulations on Top Story!!!♥️♥️💕
This surged the emotions on so many levels. I don't think I have watched the news in over a year because I know there will be at least one story that will ruin my day. I do get news notifications on my phone and pick and choose what I want to read but will definitely continue avoiding televised news. So sad. I loved your poem. The title and the repetition of it was very effective. Congrats, Randy. Great work!
Back to say congratulations on your Top Story! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
The repressed trauma and grief represented in this piece is agonizing and truly devastating, what a tragic and very unique piece
Israel, Africa, Caribbean, Russia, gangs on streets everywhere. It is everywhere. Sadly we can only pray.
Oh my goodness, Randy. This was so moving. Why must people dehumanize one another over and over?
This was even darker than I expected. But refreshing to see compassion for the ordinary people on both sides.
Wow Randy, this message hits the reader hard. Well done my friend.
That was so well done. The soldier on duty, his empathy with the little girl, and his fear are all so strongly portrayed. This is heartbreaking, real and raw. Well done.
Collateral damage. That’s what innocent Palestinian lives have been water downed to. A dark poem indeed.
Very "angst'y." Very powerful. Never have I felt so helpless to watch unfolding tragedy. Well done.