Friday, April 5, 2024

Palestine Is Poetry by Sabrin Hasbun ..... "Grief and loss and violence and pain have been forced on us constantly, for over 75 years."

           THE RECIPE

I found a recipe

to make

apple biscuits.

I had all

the ingredients:

the flour,

the eggs,

the apples,

the sugar.

I had all

the good intentions…

Arriving at home in time,

taking a warm shower,

preparing the biscuits in pajamas.

But I opened the news.

Just a quick

look,

a quick look.

It has been

two hours.

The dust

not that of flour

the shelling

not that of eggs

the cutting

not that of apples.

The sweetness

is all

gone.

The biscuits, the pajamas, the shower,

my home

smell of our blood.


A few days after I posted this poem on social media, someone close to me accused me of sensationalism. That it was not poetry. Poetry should not speak about those things.

Since then, I have heard the same or similar refrain again and again, every time we Palestinians tried to talk about Palestine.

In short, it sounds something like: Art should not be political. Education should not be political. Music should not be political. Family gatherings should not be political. Music should not be political. Journalism should not be political. TV should not be political. Sport should not be political. Politics should not be political.

I have heard that sentence all my life. A few times I even believed it in the name of some sort of lightness that was required from me. Oh come now, don’t be such a downer. Do not be so political!

We were entering the full brutality of the attack on Gaza and people wanted us to shut up. To die in silence. Not to upset them with our tragedy.... READ MORE   https://thisweekinpalestine.com/palestine-is-poetry/

[AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES (or quotes or watch videos) IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine]

 



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