Did someone say ceasefire? A-POEM - Media Review Network

Pic Courtesy: HATEM KHALED / REUTERS

By Hassen Lorgat

From the South of Africa
We hear
The Palestinian dove of peace and justice
despite injured limbs and wings
Is in full flight
again

It glides beneath
/ the planes and drones/ and the latest machinery of death/
courtesy of the empires corporations and their never ending wars

The peace dove
carries the olive leaf
in its unsilenced beak
Its coo is simple, its time

Sumud
is the wind’s whisper
as it scans the earth below

Sumud/
Is the personal/ and collective steadfastness
that Palestinians teach the world

In the face of the 15 months scorched earth toll
Sumud

home is housed amongst the ruins
as are the places of learning /healing / and prayer
From these ashes Palestine rises
Everyday
and Everywhere is Palestine

Amid 15 months of scorched earth
and thousands of martyrs heavened
the occupiers inner beast laid bare
from beit hanoun to jenin
the Generals Plan fails
their hasbara wails
Sumud triumphs

today the agents of empire eat humble pie
baked in a refugee camps of jabilia and jenin

No peace / No justice /
No justice / No peace / remains the chant of the solidarity movements
Palestine bleeds, Palestine leads
We await your leadership

Author
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Hassen Lorgat

Has worked in trade union movement, civic associations, and anti apartheid sports movement led by the South African Council on Sports (SACOS) as well as NGOs for the past while. He has worked with civil society groups opposing harmful and exploitative mining and extractivism. Hassen is active with the SA BDS Coalition.