Love is possible and your Child will
Crawl soon – so why does War Recur?²
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: Go³
If the War Knocks – say he’s taking a Rest⁴
Peace upon Tomorrow’s Children who will
Reach adulthood without witnessing Massacres⁵
My ancient Olive Branch Awakens by the tremor
Of Creation becoming a Whip of Fire in my hand⁶
We still have Bits of Country left in our Hands,
So Rest awhile – lest we Lose what Remains⁷
His Mother’s Blood Watered the Olive Tree⁸
I never carry a Rifle on my shoulder or Pull
A Trigger – all I have is a Lute’s Melody, a
Brush to paint my Dreams, a bottle of Ink⁹
A Soldier’s cap lies happily among the
Grasshoppers, Pebbles and Roses¹⁰
¹ Mahmoud Darwish tr. Akash & Forché, Mural
² Ahmad Dahbour tr. L. Jayyusi & Reed, The Sparrow Told Me
³ Samih al-Qasim tr. Nazih Kassis, Tickets
⁴ Ghassan Zaqtan tr. Fady Joudah, Pillow
⁵ Rasim al-Madhoun tr. Elmusa & Nye, Peace Be Upon
⁶ Laila ‘Allush tr. L. Jayyusi & Nye, A New Creation
⁷ Ibrahim Tuqan tr. Salma Khadra Jayyusi, Lest We Lose
⁸ Nadera Mushtaha, The Child and the Olive Tree
⁹ Tawfiq Zayyad tr. Elmusa & Doria, All I Have
¹⁰ Liyana Badr tr. Clark & Tingley, A Land of Rock and Thyme