The world got on without him
Got on with senseless killing
Ignored his neutral stance
To listen was unwilling
Accused him of taking sides
Refused his pleas for peace
Blocked him from Versailles
Made revenge their creed
And sowed the seed
Of worse to come
When Hitler rose to power
So he turned to do
What he could do
Helping soldiers home
A ceasefire on that holy night
The night when Christ was born
He made proposals for the peace
That later were adopted
Furthered diplomacy’s work
In Istanbul a statue was erected
To this pope of peace
‘Benefactor of all people
Irrespective of nationality or religion’
This by Muslim Turks
He is the forgotten pope we say
But in such a frightening time
It would not bother him one bit
His work he did just fine
Giacomo della Chiesa
Jimmy Kirk if you please
Benedict XV
When the world was on its knees
Brian Fahy
10 June 2021
Erris Poetry 