Facing Life in Palestine – A touching poem by Mazin Qumsiyeh
By Mazin Qumsiyeh,
October 2016.
October 2016.
Facing
life’s challenges and insecurity
life’s challenges and insecurity
The
heart yearns for serenity
heart yearns for serenity
How
can we ignore the oppressor’s meanness
can we ignore the oppressor’s meanness
And
simply understand his weakness
simply understand his weakness
With
so much deception
so much deception
What
is to change perception?
is to change perception?
We
struggle to see the positives
struggle to see the positives
Even
as we are flooded with negatives
as we are flooded with negatives
A
child hungers amid flies and vultures
child hungers amid flies and vultures
While
billionaires invest in ventures
billionaires invest in ventures
Zionists
steal our lands
steal our lands
And
profit from our raised hands
profit from our raised hands
Tossing
and turning in their dreary night
and turning in their dreary night
Their
biggest fear is truth coming to light
biggest fear is truth coming to light
The
corrupt rule in Ramallah
corrupt rule in Ramallah
The
weak put faith in Allah
weak put faith in Allah
Within
you feed the good wolf more
you feed the good wolf more
If
you do not want the bad one to score
you do not want the bad one to score
Does
the struggle within have winners
the struggle within have winners
Or
is it only in the case of the sinners?
is it only in the case of the sinners?
The
righteous are also struggling
righteous are also struggling
Their
caring hardly a blessing
caring hardly a blessing
In
darkness, creating, and sheltering light
darkness, creating, and sheltering light
Is
not a life of ease or of delight
not a life of ease or of delight
burden
hard to carry in sickness or in health
hard to carry in sickness or in health
the
(good) struggle goes on till the last breath
(good) struggle goes on till the last breath
“joyful
participation in the sorrows of world”
participation in the sorrows of world”
Buddhists
had it right – participation a key word
had it right – participation a key word
From
good will and good deeds
good will and good deeds
We
are counseled that joy springs seeds
are counseled that joy springs seeds
We
are advised to take time
are advised to take time
To
appreciate the sublime
appreciate the sublime
For
us Palestinians, it is harder to reason
us Palestinians, it is harder to reason
After
decades of colonization and treason
decades of colonization and treason
though
words easy to say, we still struggle to understand
words easy to say, we still struggle to understand
and
even harder to plan: How we continue to withstand?
even harder to plan: How we continue to withstand?
How
we have resilience
we have resilience
How
we create persistence
we create persistence
Perhaps
what sustains us is goodness all around
what sustains us is goodness all around
And
the beauty of this hallowed ground
the beauty of this hallowed ground
Perhaps
we see divine in all of us
we see divine in all of us
not
just Palestinian baby Jesus
just Palestinian baby Jesus
we
see it in birds singing early mornings
see it in birds singing early mornings
even
bats hunting insects evenings
bats hunting insects evenings
we
see it in poor honest unemployed
see it in poor honest unemployed
in
families and children when joyed
families and children when joyed
we
see it in smiles and stretched hands
see it in smiles and stretched hands
in
the rythm of seasons in ancient lands
the rythm of seasons in ancient lands
we
see it in memories of Karameh victory
see it in memories of Karameh victory
and
all those who are symbols of bravery
all those who are symbols of bravery
we
see it in forgotten graves of massacred
see it in forgotten graves of massacred
and
in the hunger strikes of the incarcerated
in the hunger strikes of the incarcerated
we
see it in a smile of dabka girls who carry genes
see it in a smile of dabka girls who carry genes
of
their ancestral Canaanitic queens
their ancestral Canaanitic queens
we
hear it in the rhythm of tabla and oud *
hear it in the rhythm of tabla and oud *
the
call of the athan**, church bells, and even silent sumoud
call of the athan**, church bells, and even silent sumoud
we
smell it aroma of tabboun za’atar ***
smell it aroma of tabboun za’atar ***
taste
it apricots, guava, figs, and loz akhdar****
it apricots, guava, figs, and loz akhdar****
we
taste it in zibda baladiya***** with mountain honey
taste it in zibda baladiya***** with mountain honey
and
in herbal medicines curing the worst agony
in herbal medicines curing the worst agony
Countless
generations passed in the arms of mother Palestine
generations passed in the arms of mother Palestine
babies
from Issa to the Ahmed of maddonnas divine
from Issa to the Ahmed of maddonnas divine
Our
clock will end soon and we are no more
clock will end soon and we are no more
As
we join all those departed who struggled before
we join all those departed who struggled before
We
bequeeth to our children beauty and burden
bequeeth to our children beauty and burden
Thoughts
pass as the plants leave their seeds in the garden
pass as the plants leave their seeds in the garden
the
secret to life is love and suffer grandfather told us yet,
secret to life is love and suffer grandfather told us yet,
the
dust of billions of forgotten ancestors remind us
dust of billions of forgotten ancestors remind us
as
we breathe it and eat it that we mortals must have humility
we breathe it and eat it that we mortals must have humility
and
that humility added to struggle and love equals serenity
that humility added to struggle and love equals serenity
the
old country song says: in the end matters only kindness
old country song says: in the end matters only kindness
this
old country man says: humility and love can conquer our madness
old country man says: humility and love can conquer our madness
“Stay
human” Vittorio Arrigoni said
human” Vittorio Arrigoni said
In
Palestine “Keep the hope alive” was echoed
Palestine “Keep the hope alive” was echoed
———————
*tabla
and oud: eastern musical instruments corresponding to drum and guitar
and oud: eastern musical instruments corresponding to drum and guitar
**athan:
muslim call to prayer
muslim call to prayer
***tabboun
za’atar: bread of traditional kiln with thyme ****loz akhdar: green almonds
*****Zibda baladiya: A country butter made from goat milk
za’atar: bread of traditional kiln with thyme ****loz akhdar: green almonds
*****Zibda baladiya: A country butter made from goat milk
Here you can find our interview with Mazin Qumsiyeh
And our video about the interview
