In reverse year order, in 2 tiers, most essential first. More to come…. Not on Mubi: Chronicles of the Time of Siege.

Detail above of painting by Ismail Shammut

~

2 of my poems 

PALESTINE
The moon is rising past the cedar, 
a woman sings from her window again.
How fresh now taste the mint and water,
how bright is the iris after rain.


I AM NOT A PALESTINIAN
I am not a Palestinian.
No bulldozers have demolished my home,
no refugees in tents are crushed nearby, 
no schools or hospitals turned to rubble.
I have not seen a sniper
or the little girl his target practice.
White phosphorous has not scalded my skin
and scorched through my bones,
I am not being starved to death.
No missiles and rockets
have cascaded and crashed all round me, 
day and night, for months, for years
while the merchants of lies and destruction
in the lands called civilised applaud.
I have not lost all i have,
children, wife and family,
to aliens screeching with delight.

I am not a Palestinian
but my heart is.





.

In reverse year order, in 2 tiers, most essential first. More to come…. Not on Mubi: Chronicles of the Time of Siege.
Detail above of painting by Ismail Shammut
~
2 of my poems
PALESTINE 
The moon is rising past the cedar, 
a woman sings from her window again. 
How fresh now taste the mint and water, 
how bright is the iris after rain.
I AM NOT A PALESTINIAN 
I am not a Palestinian. 
No bulldozers have demolished my home, 
no refugees in tents are crushed nearby, 
no schools or hospitals turned to rubble. 
I have not seen a sniper 
or the little girl his target practice. 
White phosphorous has not scalded my skin 
and scorched through my bones, 
I am not being starved to death. 
No missiles and rockets 
have cascaded and crashed all round me, 
day and night, for months, for years 
while the merchants of lies and destruction 
in the lands called civilised applaud. 
I have not lost all i have, 
children, wife and family, 
to aliens screeching with delight.
I am not a Palestinian 
but my heart is.
.