video still showing caskets containing Israelis celebrated in Gaza‘As Hamas Celebrates Dead Babies’: A Poem by Brian Yapko The Society February 23, 2025 Culture, Poetry 6 Comments . As Hamas Celebrates Dead Babies The Bibas deaths… how do I tell this news? A mother and her sons—all blameless Jews— Killed senselessly. My words seem desecration… For I have not one word of consolation, No explanation, nor a gift for silence When faced with ululating savage violence. No pretty words. Nor can I well control The pain and sheer disgust at those who stole The lives of little babes, who laughed and strangled Helpless necks, who then vaunted their mangled Dead bodies to all Gaza’s crowing cheer. I did not know these babes yet feel their fear, The fingers held too tightly to the throat— Breath taken with an “Allah Akbar” gloat. How do I now escape dark haunting dreams? How do I keep myself from raging screams Or else collapse in breath-defying sobbing? And all about us savages are robbing The West of all civility and grace. All decency is toppled from its place Outshouted by a world which hates what’s right And gladly chooses darkness over light While Jews are slaughtered, scapegoated and shamed. But Islam must not ever once be blamed. What do they think they build by taking lives From innocents, by worshipping their knives? How do I make this searing pain abate And stop myself from prayers infused with hate? In times like these when I can scarcely cope I yet know God’s in charge. This give me hope. . . Brian Yapko is a retired lawyer whose poetry has appeared in over fifty journals. He is the winner of the 2023 SCP International Poetry Competition. Brian is also the author of several short stories, the science fiction novel El Nuevo Mundo and the gothic archaeological novel Bleeding Stone. He lives in Wimauma, Florida. NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets. The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary. Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Trending now: 6 Responses Joseph S. Salemi February 23, 2025 The deliberate abduction, abuse, and final savage murder of this innocent mother and her small children sickens every civilized person. Horrible things happen in war, but killing captive infants with bare hands is staggering in its utter barbarity, and mindlessly unnecessary. If Hamas wanted these captives as bargaining chips in a negotiation there was no point in killing them, since the exchange of captives was already agreed upon. There is no other explanation except the one that Brian’s poem brings up — this atrocity was committed out of sheer, psychopathic hatred. Hamas may have thought “The Israelis will make a deal to get these people back, dead or alive. Killing them will be of no cost to us, and we can rid the world of a few more Jews. It will also be well-deserved revenge for us.” When you are dealing with savages, all bets are off. Unfortunately the savages include not just Hamas but thousands of stupid activists and demonstrators in our streets and college campuses. Reply Maria February 23, 2025 I suppose this is selfish, just needing to express the grief I feel over the suffering and death of these babies and their mother but it is truly unbearable. I have resolved that if anyone asks me to read the Koran so I can understand the religion , my reply would be If followers of this religion can kill babies with their bare hands and more, if they can behead seventy Christians in the Congo and we only know about this through the internet, so many, many go unreported, if they can do this and more, there is no way I would want to know anything else. I know all I need to know. Thank you for your poem and the opportunity to comment on this when there have been so many pro Palestinian protests. Reply Warren Bonham February 23, 2025 Few have the bravery and skill needed to handle a topic like this. Thanks for skillfully tackling this head-on. Reply Jeff Eardley February 23, 2025 Powerful to read Brian. This sickening outrage is hard to put into words, but you have pretty much summed up what we are all feeling about recent events in Gaza. Reply Russel Winick February 23, 2025 Brian – no need for an apology. It’s a great poem, and I, and I’m sure others as well, have also acted in excess poetic haste due to various emotions. What few people have done is write with your level of skill. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant February 23, 2025 Brian, the horror of the callous, cold-blooded murder of a mother and her two precious sons shocks the senses and claws at the soul. You have managed to portray the incomprehension and the sick-to-the-stomach grief this evil deed brings with it. This heartfelt poem says more than any frigid news article could and I thank you wholeheartedly for your courage. My heart goes out to all those suffering at the hands of monsters. Reply Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Joseph S. Salemi February 23, 2025 The deliberate abduction, abuse, and final savage murder of this innocent mother and her small children sickens every civilized person. Horrible things happen in war, but killing captive infants with bare hands is staggering in its utter barbarity, and mindlessly unnecessary. If Hamas wanted these captives as bargaining chips in a negotiation there was no point in killing them, since the exchange of captives was already agreed upon. There is no other explanation except the one that Brian’s poem brings up — this atrocity was committed out of sheer, psychopathic hatred. Hamas may have thought “The Israelis will make a deal to get these people back, dead or alive. Killing them will be of no cost to us, and we can rid the world of a few more Jews. It will also be well-deserved revenge for us.” When you are dealing with savages, all bets are off. Unfortunately the savages include not just Hamas but thousands of stupid activists and demonstrators in our streets and college campuses. Reply
Maria February 23, 2025 I suppose this is selfish, just needing to express the grief I feel over the suffering and death of these babies and their mother but it is truly unbearable. I have resolved that if anyone asks me to read the Koran so I can understand the religion , my reply would be If followers of this religion can kill babies with their bare hands and more, if they can behead seventy Christians in the Congo and we only know about this through the internet, so many, many go unreported, if they can do this and more, there is no way I would want to know anything else. I know all I need to know. Thank you for your poem and the opportunity to comment on this when there have been so many pro Palestinian protests. Reply
Warren Bonham February 23, 2025 Few have the bravery and skill needed to handle a topic like this. Thanks for skillfully tackling this head-on. Reply
Jeff Eardley February 23, 2025 Powerful to read Brian. This sickening outrage is hard to put into words, but you have pretty much summed up what we are all feeling about recent events in Gaza. Reply
Russel Winick February 23, 2025 Brian – no need for an apology. It’s a great poem, and I, and I’m sure others as well, have also acted in excess poetic haste due to various emotions. What few people have done is write with your level of skill. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant February 23, 2025 Brian, the horror of the callous, cold-blooded murder of a mother and her two precious sons shocks the senses and claws at the soul. You have managed to portray the incomprehension and the sick-to-the-stomach grief this evil deed brings with it. This heartfelt poem says more than any frigid news article could and I thank you wholeheartedly for your courage. My heart goes out to all those suffering at the hands of monsters. Reply
