Richard Ettinger
What does it take
to make one kill another
A daughter or a son of a mother and a father?
What does it mean
That everybody seems to justify death?
Something that was given, taken by theft
How does it feel
So unreal to witness
Being passive—isn’t that part of the sickness?
What does it take
to make one kill another?
Cruelty in every aspect unveiling the cover
We are sick and gaia is getting sicker
With every like on social media we are pulling a trigger
We share what was captured in chaos
We dare to do anonymously—unmasking we are afraid of
What does it take
to make one kill another?
The freedom of mind, but politics let life smother
The world is young, we are immature
With all developments and achievements—we are still not there
Where a young soul can flourish in peace
And others are inspired to nourish with ease
What does it take
to make one kill another?
By the hands of a cousin or a brother
Are we just unable to accept that beheading and bombing
Belongs to us and maybe that’s how we are bonding?
How do we grow from what is left of the ashes?
The fire we found and used for the masses
What does it take
to make one kill another?
Across the border, they could have been lovers
Honestly our history is a history of violence
My or his belief I’ve no more than a sigh to spend
I want to contribute, throw my immobility into action
To mobilize against the conflict
I want to save lives, but don’t know how to stop it
What does it take
to make one kill another?
How to smother the pain deep down in the gutter
People always find a reason, a time to avenge
Principles exist but we decide they are bent
I wanna pledge my solidarity so bad
I want to take sides—it is wrong but it seems so right
because I know that with every word that I write
my grandparents and great grandparents hold my hand and lead my pen
It feels like their heritage was cremated inside of me
And that’s exactly what I live on
But I have to acknowledge that my empathy becomes an embassy
My pain is yours and if we keep going it will last endlessly
That‘s why I keep asking
What does it take
to make one kill another?
Who’s gonna hear this, why do I bother.