The day I’m killed, my killer
Will find Tickets in my pocket:
One to Peace, one to Fields & Rain,
And one to Humanity’s Conscience—
I beg you, you who kill me: please
Do not Waste them—I beg you: Go!²
We still have bits of Country left in our hands,
So let us Rest awhile—lest we lose what Remains.³
If the war knocks—say we’re Resting …⁴
Our Mothers’ Blood waters the Olive Tree.⁵
Peace upon Tomorrow’s Children who will
Reach adulthood without witnessing Massacres.⁶
Love is possible and your Child will crawl soon—
So why does war recur?⁷
A soldier’s cap lies happily among
The Grasshoppers, Pebbles, and Roses.⁸
Do not be surprised to see Roses shoulder up
Among the Ruins of a house: this is how we Survive!⁹
We never carry rifle on our shoulder or pull a trigger—
All we have is a Lute’s Melody, a Brush to
Paint our Dreams, a bottle of Ink …¹⁰
¹ Mahmoud Darwish tr. Akash & Forché, Mural
² Samih al-Qasim tr. Nazih Kassis, Tickets
³ Ibrahim Tuqan tr. Salma Khadra Jayyusi, Lest We Lose
⁴ Ghassan Zaqtan tr. Fady Joudah, Pillow
⁵ Nadera Mushtaha, The Child and the Olive Tree
⁶ Rasim al-Madhoun tr. Elmusa & Nye, Peace Be Upon
⁷ Ahmad Dahbour tr. L. Jayyusi & Reed, The Sparrow Told Me
⁸ Liyana Badr tr. Clark & Tingley, A Land of Rock and Thyme
⁹ Mosab Abu Toha, A Rose Shoulders Up
¹⁰ Tawfiq Zayyad tr. Elmusa & Doria, All I Have