An Alternate Witness

Feast of the Sacrifice and no sacrifice
No money nor goats
Yet each one a sacrifice
Hurting
Hurting from hunger and thirst
Hurting from fear and belittlement
And sacrificing soul and property

Feast of the Sacrifice and each one
Is Ishmael
Beneath the hand of the Greater
The sacrifice smaller and weaker
Watching the weapons
And hurting
Hurting from lack of power
And lack of voice
And lack of help
Not self-help
Nor the help of friends

Feast of the Sacrifice and each one
Ishmael without Gabriel
Where is Gabriel?
Where is the messenger?
Where is the voice of the Just
Telling the sacrificer:
Stop!
The intention suffices.
The symbol of your intention suffices.

Christmas without Nativity
Without gifts or blessing
But with destruction
Christmas, and the gifts
They are destruction
And destruction of houses and wealth
That is temporary destruction
Yet the destruction of families and childhood
And feelings of safety and hope
That is eternal destruction
And it's destroying the future
The future of individuals
As well as the nation's.

Christmas is birthing
Fear and despair
And anger and hatred
In the hearts of the children
The children of Palestine
And the children of Israel

Hannukah without light
Neither light nor oil
Nor the light of hope
No light in the temple
Nor light in the church
Nor light in the mosque
Not the hope of safety
Nor of justice
Nor of peace
Nor of aid
Not on the holy days
Nor on normal days

Of course, like all translations, it sounds far better in the Arabic in which I originally wrote it; more internal cohesion and repetition, more obvious religious allusions. But someone was bound to ask for a translation, so here it is.