The Little Boy On Bodrum Beach Comments

a very sad descriptive poem of the death of an innocent child and yes you are right humanity is to blame? ..............powerfully well written Tan

A heart wrenching sight has been depicted so nicely. I am really sad after reading this poem on unhumanity, the innocent boy was nipped at tender age. The last three lines reveal its picture.... Oh, this is such a huge disgrace! I see humanity condemned to the hilt. The dead child points to collective guilt. Fantastic... Thanks...10

Oh Dear God! ! ! ! ! ! Dear Lord! ! ! ! ! ! How Heart Breaking! ! ! ! ! How Powerfully Said And So Deeply Felt! ! ! ! ! Tears The Heart Apart! ! ! ! ! Thank You For So Powerfully Voicing This! ! ! ! ! (And) Sharing To This World! ! ! ! ! Tearfully! ! ! ! ! , Definite! ! ! ! ! 10S! ! ! ! !

I have been trying to come to terms in words with the Syrian tragedy for some time and you have penned it down for me and for everybody else. A great poem in every way in my humble opinion. Well done Pan.

Powerful. Such photos and such writing compel us to re-frame simple data into a more human context. Whatever decisions lie ahead, we must never forget that there are actual human beings at the end of all our policies and procedures.

Nice poem! :) A sadness can wash upon Us, within a forlorn rushing riptide of bleakness! : (

apparently you took Douglas at his word and removed off, as i do not see it now. i think off would have been ok, even if not according to some (perhaps) outdated rules of the language. i might also have written wash hands of it, with it referring to the refugee problem and war problem. a photo of one dead boy does NOT make me think nor act differently about the ‘unfortunate’ disruption in people’s lives. it is not that I am callous [well maybe; maybe uncaring is what I’m not? ]. if I were to be upset (without me having much, if any, power to change things) over such photos or stories, my life would be dismal OR I would have to avoid “the news”. I like the poem, especially the now-and–then rhymes and these lines: “Countries in panic shut their doors; They cry out, 'We can take no more! ' …But Germany, Amazingly, Embraces these poor, tormented souls.” …… …….. I’ve read that the European nations are working on a quota system for accepting refugees across their borders. I’ve also read some opinion concerning the unwillingness of some wealthy Arab countries to take I refugees, even Arab refugees; I can’t say that I really think they have any legal (or perhaps even moral) obligation to open their doors. hmm? AND: “I see humanity condemned to the hilt. The dead child points to collective guilt.” . I like the lines though I don’t think condemning humanity or having collective guilt will do the trick. : ( thanks for sharing. bri :) welcome back to PH.

So recently alive. Nice touch calling the sea a she. Better just 'wash your hands' without the 'off, ' as that means literally to wash them off your arms.

This brought tears to my eyes too. There are so many out there. Sometimes my mind refuses to read complete write and so skimp thru the pages. But my heart cannot do that. It recollects and imagines the exodus over and over again. A baby born in camp, another dies on beach. An extending hand for food and a ship overflowing with humans!

Tan, your poem was almost too painful for me to read. It made me feel horrified and helpless to hear of that poor child's death and the lack of human compassion the world shows toward fellow human beings. Thank you for sharing your feelings.

What heart wrenching sight and what a poignant write! All of us have been shocked to see that helpless victim washed ashore after the over crowded boat capsized! This refugee exodus and their suffering should shake the sleeping human conscience! Man should end his pugnacity and embrace his brother in love! Will such a time dawn in human history! Let children like Aylan live in safety and not be nipped by cruel fate before those buds bloom! Top marks!

Tan, this poem is beyond amazing! The most heart rendingly magnificent and poignant poem I have ever read on this site to date! Welcome back to Poemhunter! !

You right! That photograph is so wrenching, the colors of the boy's clothes are so bright but the corpse seems rigid. I read your poem before seeing that picture. In your poem the sea plays the role of compassion: you describe it as washing the body, caressing it, never buffeting it. One dead child becomes representative of this tragedy of violence, and beginning with stanza 3 you address the larger political issues. And resolving them will be the only way to prevent another child's death. The message of the sea is COMPASSION FIRST, POLITICS OF POWER LAST. I applaud your passionate appeal to humanity in the last stanzas. You have given all that you can in these words of moral fervor.

Hi Tan I pain as a Lebanese person for the brothers in Syria. The creation of the ISIS is perhaps the newset dimension of the Arabian Spring which never became a summer. The mismanagment and apathy is atrocious and no one is taking responsibity to begin a talk for a truce. All the brave northern boys are doing is pointing ´fingers and not beginning any solutions. This is just the inception of a catastrophe that will continue until a diplomat raises to the occasion and starts peace talks. God bless you for opening up the reality of the situation, Paul

A beautiful picture of inhumanity. You have penned a picture of man who has become not man but beast. Very provocative poem for man to reflect on evil man has become. Thanks for the lovely heart-wrenching poem, Tan.

So painful, so heartwrenching.

A wonderfully done work expressing world-wide pain and grief...10. -BG

Your poem is beautiful and oh so painful. I'm glad you wrote it. It should be shared. I'm so sad for humanity, for this innocent little boy.

A perfectly penned elegy, Tan. You have a gift. I wrote a poem about this as well- Inhumanity (Tanka) I think this incident shook a lot of people awake and saddened the world

A tremendous write. Like Roseann everything she has expressed is what I would have also said. I cannot find anything that would better this poem. I would like to read it out at my poetry group meeting if that is alright with you. It has such impact that it will also go to my favourites as well. More than excellent, holding within it the futility of it all, the, heart rendering feelings for these people who are trying to escape terror and fear for themselves and their families. Life can be wonderful but life can also be wicked. It is hard to comprehend what goes on in the heads of these manic humans, if you can call them that who are causing such mayhem across the world. You can be very proud of your writing as I would be if I had written this. Well done for bringing this terrible calamity out in to the open. I will read some more of your creations very soon, Take care. Love Ernestine