In our Blood a Million Suns
Defy a multitude of Cruelties²
A Bandaged Sun – still pours Light!³
Let my Words, instead of endless Litany,
Be an Index – Unhinging the Foundations
Of every Category & Name Forced upon us⁴
Departure, Eternal Departure – when will the
Exiles sit around one table and a family Rejoice
Knowing that despite Sorrow it is our Homeland!⁵
Utopian Dreams stay Alive – in their Veins⁶
My Sparrow – can I Borrow your Wings?⁷
We Give the Walls Back to the Rocks⁸
The lamps of Love will Burn away
The endless Night of Occupation⁹
We Exempt the Door from the
Key – and set the Wind Free¹⁰
¹ Naomi Shihab Nye, Tiny Journalist Blues
² Tawfiq Zayyad tr. Elmusa & Collom, A Million Suns in My Blood
³ Khalid ‘Ali Mustafa tr. M. Jayyusi & Nye, Meeting of Two Wounds
⁴ George Abraham, The Palestinian/Queer Specimen’s Index
⁵ ‘Ali al-Khalili tr. Hanan Mikha’il Ashrawi, Departure
⁶ Qasem Waleed El-Farra, A New Day to Die
⁷ Sara Alsweirki, Nest of Diaspora
⁸ Mahmoud Darwish tr. Ben Bennani, The Prison Cell
⁹ ‘Abd al-Latif ‘Aql tr. Elmusa & Davies, From Jerusalem to the Gulf
¹⁰ Muhammad al-Qaisi tr. M. Jayyusi & Reed, One-Day Vacation