War Explodes in the sky,
While we sit writing poetry:²
Poetry happens when nothing else can in Gaza.³
It is not poetry’s job to wipe up Tears—
Poetry digs a trench where it overflows
To Drown the universe!⁴
Silent we are, but when we speak
We shall unite our Blood with Fire!⁵
They have killed my Family outside of poetry—
Poetry is my chance to settle the score with Killers.⁶
We bloody our usurper’s face
With Poems sharp as Knives!⁷
The tear gas canisters exploding
Lend our coming dance its Rhythm.⁸
Our bones are frail—our Songs grind stone.⁹
Every Beautiful Poem is an act of Resistance!¹⁰
¹ Laila al-Sa’ih tr. M. Jayyusi & Nye, Intimations of Anxiety
² Rashid Husain tr. M. Jayyusi & Nye, Damascus Diary
³ Shahd Safi, Your Eyes Are Poetry
⁴ Zakaria Mohammed tr. Lena Tuffaha, Untitled Poem IV
⁵ Ibrahim Tuqan tr. L. Jayyusi & Heath-Stubbs, Command
⁶ Alham Bsharat tr. Fady Joudah, How I Kill Soldiers
⁷ Tawfiq Zayyad tr. Aida Bamia, Bitter Sugar
⁸ Samih al-Qasim tr. Nazih Kassis, Sadder than Water
⁹ Ghassan Zaqtan tr. Fady Joudah, Strangeness
¹⁰ Mahmoud Darwish (كل قصيدة جميلة هي فعل مقاومة)