slip-sliding away…..

This world is not perfect. It was never meant to be. At any given time, humans somewhere are facing wars, famine, poverty, greed, murder, torture…the list goes on and on and on. And while we as individuals can often do little to stem the tide of such ongoing tragedies, we must strive – using the gifts we have, in the spaces we are placed – to try to bring this world closer to the ideal. A world of justice, peace, joy, and harmony. A vision of Heaven on Earth…even if we know it will never truly be achieved in this world.

What counts is our intentions and our efforts. Not the results. Because the truth is that results have never been in our control.

That truth has never been more apparent than in the last year, when we have witnessed, from a distance – with our own eyes and ears – an ongoing genocide against the people of Gaza, Palestine. An attempt at total annihilation which has been apparent to all who have seen the footage and pictures, and read the first-hand accounts of those who are living through these horrors every single day. Accounts from not only the Gazans themselves, but also from international observers and aid and medical workers – from reputable organisations, including the UN – who relay these horrors to the rest of us outside the warzone.

But what can one do to stop the seemingly unstoppable, bloodthirsty forces which are backed by the financial, military, and media might of governments and corporations which dominate our planet?

Poet Joseph Fasano – whose work I shared extensively in last year’s “Poetry for Peace” series, answers beautifully in this poem:

(Check out his new collection of poetry: The Last Song of the World).

Poetry matters

In the struggle against oppression and injustice, everyone has a role to play. Whether it’s through prayer or protests, boycotts or speaking out, amplifying the truth online or even making films and visual media, every effort matters. Every piece fits into the whole.

For poets, words are our contribution – bearing literary witness to the tragedy of this time – the savagery of mass murder, mutilation, cruelty, and crimes beyond belief; but also the triumphs – the unprecedented rise in consciousness amongst those who were previously blinded from the reality of a 76-year long ethnic cleansing campaign in a land revered by billions worldwide.

Poets bring forth the sentiments of the witnessing masses in a unique way. We express the emotions and thoughts which so many share but are unable to convey as eloquently as we can in verse. We are called by a purpose higher than ourselves. We are moved to use our gifts to shine a light on those whose struggles deserve far more attention than our own.

Those of us who are not direct victims of these atrocities sit from afar – looking in – and soak in the sadness and frustration, the outrage and burning anger. We internalise the myriad intangible sentiments floating all around – felt but unseen – and we distil it into words which we hope captures these extraordinary times.

It’s said that one of the purposes of writing is to affect the heart. And, through these poetic expressions, we squeeze out all that we – the collective witnesses to this genocide – have absorbed, and present it as living, breathing records which are preserved in ink, ready to remind, inspire, and comfort current and future generations who must never, ever forget this despicable chapter of human history.

Threads of Palestine anthology launched

Over the past year, I’ve been honoured to work with a writing school called House of Amal on a collection of poems by our community members focusing on the genocide in Gaza. From over 130 submissions, we’ve selected 35 pieces to comprise the new book entitled Threads of Palestine: Weaving Words of Witness.

With contributors hailing from Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, USA, South Africa, the UK, India, and more, this was truly a global effort. The book is now available for purchase, with 100% of the proceeds going to the Zakat Foundation Of America to aid families in Gaza with medical assistance, food, hygiene kits, other essentials.

You can find out more about the book at this link. And if you’d like to purchase a copy, you can do so at these links:

• US paperback
• South African paperback
• International paperback (other than South Africa)
• E-Book (worldwide)

Later on, I may share my piece which is included in the book, but for now, I leave you with a beautiful poem from the collection which has stayed in my heart ever since I first read it:

May this book bear witness to what’s passed, and inspire hope, courage, and action on our journey to a free Palestine, where all people live together in peace, justice, and harmony.