
Day of the Martyr, 1996 (Nasri Zacharia)
O, Earth
Hug me
And hold me tight
Or devour me
To suffer no more.
I love thee
So take me.
Make me rich.
Make me dirt.
Gone are the days of serenity.
Guns are the words of humanity.
I have no food but a thorn,
No sport but a sigh.
For a soldier needs to feel high.
O, Earth,
If in life I am to hurt
Let my dirt in you give birth.
O, Earth.
(Crossposted at Refaat Alareer’s blog In Gaza, My Gaza!)
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Beautiful
Thank you
I love you
Refaat and Nassri and Palestine.
It is indeed a beautiful poem, Taxi.
The photo of Nasri Zacharia’s art work reminded me of the Christian woodcut artist Albrecht Dürer. Here is his “The Torture of St. John the Evangelist from The Apocalypse.”
dhttp://www.masterworksfineart.com/inventory/2152?view-work
Thank you, Refaat Alareer.
Wow. Heart rending powerful stuff. I hear your cry.