WASHINGTON,
March 6 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Along with anti-war
demonstrations that have been drawing millions of people all over the
world, an army of American poets on Wednesday, March 5, protested in
verse the looming U.S.-led war on Iraq and sent thousands of poems to
members of Congress.
"Never
before in history have so many distinguished poets gathered to speak
about a single subject.
"We
have brought poetry into the American consciousness as never
before," said prominent poet Sam Hamill, who refused an
invitation to the White House because of his opposition to war on
Iraq, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).
A
former marine, Hamill said he had been invited by First Lady Laura
Bush to attend a symposium on poetry in the United States.
The
White House event that the first lady had invited Hamill to was
cancelled.
Hamill
was joined by other pre-eminent poets such as W.S. Merwin and Jorie
Graham in their anti-war stance.
In
early February he sat down and wrote to three dozen poet friends
inviting them to pen their words against the war.
By
the end of the week, 25 editors were working on the anti-war poems
which were soon pouring in at the rate of one per minute.
Some,
Hamill said, were wonderful, some mediocre, some failures, but all
were worthwhile.
"Unqualified
Opposition"
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"I
am here, as we all are, to register my unqualified opposition to
our country starting a war in Iraq" Merwin told Congress
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"I
think they must be startled by something as unexpected as this,"
said Pulitzer prize winning poet Merwin.
"And
that it represents a whole tidal wave they didn't know was out
there."
At
Congress, Merwin declared: "I am here, as we all are, to register
my unqualified opposition to our country starting a war in Iraq. Out
of patriotism, I oppose the White Houses campaign to unleash a
bully’s war against a small but oil-rich country."
On
February 12, Hamill and others attempted to deliver a package of 1,000
of the poems to the White House. It was refused.
Poetry
readings were to take place around the world from Tokyo to occupied
Jerusalem to protest the anticipated war.
President
Bush has said he intended to disarm Iraq and oust President Saddam
Hussein by military force if necessary.
American
singer Harry Belafonte, long outspoken on civil rights and political
issues in the United States, has lashed out at the Bush
administration, charging it was 'possessed of evil' for preparing war
against Iraq and that global leaders who ignored anti-war
demonstrations against war did so at their own peril.
There
is also a growing list of Hollywood celebrities who are speaking out
against war including Sean Penn, Ed Harris, Dustin Hoffman, Madonna,
director Spike Lee, and George Clooney.
The
famous star Madonna joined the debate by her anti-war themed music
video for the title track to her album “American Life”.
British
Celebrities Join Forces
There
are also wide-spread opposition to war in the United Kingdom, a
staunch supporter for the U.S war scheme.
The
Irish singer of U2 Bono has added his voice to the mounting opposition
to Anglo-American war plans.
Dublin
born Bono, who was presented with the French Le Gion of Honor Award by
President Jacques Chirac, vocalized his disappointment with Britain's
support for the war.
"(British
Prime Minister)Tony Blair is not going to war for oil. Tony Blair is
to me a great politician, he is sincere in his convictions about Iraq,
but in my opinion he is sincerely wrong."
"I
think America has no experience with terrorism or even with war. In
Europe, we know a little bit more about these things. We must not make
a martyr out of Saddam Hussein... He's good at propaganda, we
shouldn't make it easy for him," he said.
