Tsunami

A word of which I’ve rarely heard Has happened half-way round my world 'Twixt Christmas and the coming year The news comes through of terror and fear Deep within the ocean bed A mass of water formed overhead Speeding fast toward civilization Threatening people from many a nation A Tsunami has struck with a sickening force Bringing loss of life, home, wealth, in its course Now our world-wide communications Bring pictures and 24-hour information Buried in mud, the numbers growing The missing, the grief and pain clearly showing Our stunned reaction - incomprehension Begins to flow into necessary action Donations of money, of aid of prayer Volunteer agencies gathering there Doctors and medicine, water and food Shelter and comfort for the common good The might of the military, the will of the nations Is finally translated into life preservation Instead of dropping bombs upon one another We at last realise we are sister and brother Tell me, why oh why does it need such a loss? - It makes me feel angry, incredibly cross - That it takes such tragedy, for the realisation That we’re a worldwide family, the whole of creation Time will go by and our memories will fade While others face a future in need of our aid Who is my neighbour, for whom should I care? It’s the one that is seated in the very next chair. This is the poem I wrote five years ago following the Tsunami in the Indian Ocean