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Sumud (صمود )and the smell of flowers

Hassen Lorgat

Sumud is the lodestar

In

and

Out

of prison

his occupational hazard

As I write, it rains death

Under the rubble

amidst rotting corpses of the fallen

sisters/ brothers/ friends/family

now embraced by worms

and their feral friends

misery borne from greed, phosphorous and hate

As i write, it rains death

Forced into exile,

He remains rooted to the ground

like his new neighbours -the ancient pyramids

A brief sojourn to Joburg

…fresh air beckons

Between conferences, coffees and bookshops

and the search for peoples markets, we talk

As I write, in Gaza bombs continue to fall, but Jozi is calm

At the flower nursery

I see him through the side window of my eye

Raji meditating

Smelling the roses

And whilst no words were exchanged

the sweet fragrances momentarily displaces the stinks and fogs of war

This sumud of flowers is his peoples answer

to their endless mowing down of Palestinians

And at that moment… we knew

that the freedom he craves

is not far away

Sumud and flowers

For the fallen

and for those who will continue to plant the seeds

for all the people to harvest

20/5/24 Hassl

Hassen Lorgat
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