"Tsunami Tourists"

They said
"We're staying,
There's fresh water here and our beach is clean"
But is it clean of the blood
and have the tears merged with the salt of the sea?
and others drink
water polluted with your waste

They said
"We're going to a dance later"
Yes, dance and laugh with the demons and the devils
who are rejoicing over the deaths of the 100,000
and they rejoice still more
as the figure increases by the hour

They said
"Staying will only help the economy"
Your all-in package holiday,
The money that will only help the rich
the fat cats
not the orphans, the widows
who are taken into homes
where they sit and contemplate walking out to sea
to join those whom they have lost

They said
"We have pledged our next holiday money to the fund"
And I have given money too
£5 will pay a child's food for a week
£20 will build a new home for the bewildered
But £5 can't stop a child from
beating his head against a rock because
the pain of death is preferable to the pain inside
and £20
can't revive the dead spouse
can't erase the memory
and can't heal the scars
as easily as the remains are bulldozed away from your eyes and mind



The above was inspired by a radio interview with a man still out on his holiday in the disaster area. He maybe has a point but I am struck by the reserve of it all. He was British too, sometimes our stiff upper lip can seem somewhat cold.

Have a peaceful New Year, all who read this and be thankful that if you spend it with a loved one, that they are still at your side. And please, give all you can to any of the many charities that are raising money to help those in distress after this terrible disaster