gaza
a great miracle happened here
a festival of lights
a casting of lead upon children
an army feasting on epiphany
i know nothing under the sun over the wall no one mentions
some must die wrapped in floral petroleum blanket
no coverage
i have come to every day armageddon
a ladder left unattended
six candles burn down a house
a horse tied to smoke
some must die to send a signal
flat line scream live stream river a memory longer than life spans
the living want to die in their country
no open doors no open seas no open
hands full of heart five daughters wrapped in white
each day jihad
each day faith over fear
each day a mirror of fire
the living want to die with their families
the girl loses limbs her brother gathers arms
some must die for not dying
children on hospital floor mother beside
them the father in shock this is my family
i have failed them this is my family i did
not raise their heads i have buried them
my family what will i do now my family is bread
one fish one people cut into pieces
there is a thirst thefts life
there is a hunger a winter within winter
some must die to bring salvation
i have come to end times always present
the woman lost parents her children and screams
my sister i have lost my sister i want to die
my sisterʼs eyes were honey her voice mine
i canʼt face this only god only god my sister
medics killed schools hit convoys bombed
the injured are dying the dead are buried in three
hours the people pray together and curse the people
mourn loud and quiet always too loud not enough
some must die because they are the vicinity
some must die because it was written
no army does not apologize has never
apologized authority chases paper assembly
occupation settles deeper
a great miracle here
the living are dying and the dying living
a festival of lights
a strip a land a blaze
the sea a mirror of fire
a casting of lead upon children
their heads roll off their shoulders into streets
their tops spin in hands
an army feasting on epiphany
driving future into history
carrying torches into women
- by suheir hammad
Powerful words from a sista I respect greatly. I wonder if there is a clip of her reading this poem somewhere. I’d look but a brutha be tied to dial-up here in the hell hole they call Kimberley
Best wishes to you my sista. I trust you are well.
Peace and struggle,
ridwan
hey there – ja i’d looked for her doing Gaza but nothing yet…or just the text of the prose she does over Fourth World War on occupation, but then 4th WW should be seen again & again in entirety anyways
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3604591910224149865
here’s an interview you may find interesting though http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyY2O9dR-u8&eurl=http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=suheir+hammad+gaza&emb=1&aq=f&feature=player_embedded
very good to see you back on the blog again btw – i’ve been reading though not feeling much like posting generally.
thanks for visiting, will come knocking sometime too.
continua 4sure