Wedding Day Poem

For Two Cherished Grandchildren

It is an adventure

You are embarking on

Known and unknown routes

Of the Voyage Marriage

The seas will be calm

The roads smooth

The hills     the rivers

Easily passable

The skies clear     the sun

Bright

The moon a lantern

To light your night

The stars an invitation

To always gaze upwards

 

But if the skies

Should sometimes darken

Clouds obscure the sun

And you hear the rumble of

Thunder

Feel lightening flash

Put your arms around

Each other

For if in truth

You caused the lightening

The thunder

Even rain     even wind

In their aftermath

Remember love     remember love

That lives     forever in your

Hearts

And let the storms fade from

Your memory

They have no power

Over Love

For

Nothing in the Universe

Nothing in life

Has power

Over Love

 

*July 30, 2021

#Abiy Ahmed is a War Criminal

To the Honorable Ministers of the Hague,

I write this letter to you with deep feelings of distress and anguish over the tragic situation in Tigray, the northern part of Ethiopia. The Prime Minster, Abiy Ahmed, is solely responsible for causing this. Tigray opted to remain independent, which led the Prime Minster to send in troops from Ethiopia and Eritrea. Many people, including children, were killed. Women were raped. There have been mutilations and assassinations. The capital city of Tigray, Mekele, was bombed. Banks have no funds. To be blunt, Ministers, it is as if Tigray itself was raped. Her people are suffering. They are starving. I feel heartsick.

Thirteen years ago, our daughter and son-in-law adopted a one year old baby girl from Ethiopia. She came from Tigray. A number of circumstances led to the discovery of our granddaughter’s birth mother. We have kept in close touch with her. As a result, we receive  first-hand knowledge of the horrific crimes perpetrated by the policies of Abiy Ahmed. It is because of this tragic situation heaped upon a peaceful Tigray that I am asking you to bring Abiy Ahmed before the tribunal of the Hague. He must be charged with war crimes for the utter brutality and misery the innocent people of Tigray are being subjected to. As I write this letter, children of Tigray are dying of starvation.

Thank you for “hearing” me.

Wendy Blumberg

Carlsbad, CA