For Gilad Shalit

 -Zvi A. Sesling

March 15, 2011

Bibi, your brother lies buried

while Gilad Shalit remains in prison

What have you done to free him

What have you done to bring Israel peace

Bibi, you rose to power on your brother’s

bones, you rose to power and do not use it

wisely while the world criticizes

How your brother’s bones must rattle in the earth

rattle with anger at missed opportunities, leaving

your brother in the earth to watch one in prison

Bibi, if your brother could rise he would tell

you what to do, how to rescue Gilad – or is Gilad

dead and you tell no one

Why do you not act while a nation waits for Gilad,

waits for peace

Zvi A. Sesling has published poetry in numerous magazines both in print and online in the United States, Great Britain, New Zealand, Canada and Israel. Among the publications are: Ibbetson St., Midstream, Poetica, The Deronda Review, Voices Israel, Saranac Review, New Delta Review, Plainsong, Asphodel, Haz Mat Review, Istanbul Literary Review, The Chaffin Journal, Ship of Fools, Chiron Review, Poetry Monthly Interational, Matrix, The Tower, New Vilna Review and Main Street Rag. He was awarded Third Place (2004) and First Prize (2007) in the Reuben Rose International Poetry Competition and was a finalist in the 2009 Cervena Barva Press Chapbook Contest. In 2008 he was selected to read his poetry at New England/Pen “Discovery” by Boston Poet Laureate Sam Cornish. He was a featured reader in the 2010 Jewish Poetry Festival in Brookline, MA. His poems have been published in the U.S., Canada, England, Israel and New Zealand.  He is a regular reviewer for the Boston Small Press and Poetry Scene and he edits the Muddy River Poetry Review. He is author of King of the Jungle, (Ibbetson St., 2010) and a chapbook Across Stones of Bad Dream (Cervana Barva, 2011) and a second full length poetry book, Fire Tongue (Cervena Barva) is scheduled for 2011.

Copyright Zvi A. Sesling /The New Vilna Review 2011.