Naming Games

Eradicating Hamas

is a euphemism

for ethnic cleansing

Negotiating a Ceasefire

dear USA, simply means

Stop Arming the Oppressor

Terrorism is fear

of criticizing

terrorist state of Israel

War is a misnomer

for genocide

Let’s call things

by their names.

Choices

It’s difficult, in times like these

not to become radicalized —

the question is: will it be

by all consuming hate or compassion?

Justice

Crushed under the heel

of their oppressor,

the innocent martyr

sighs & sweetly, says:

It is better to be punished,

here, than in the Afterlife...

Purity

Renounce all violence

of heart, word and deed —

only the blameless shall lead

Visionaries of this age,

like prophets of ages past,

are the moral reformers.

Blasphemous Praise

The poet is a prophet:

a fisher of souls,

a human sacrifice,

sent to save you

an undoer of knots,

your sworn advocate,

a life-long listener,

a reminder when you forget

your unknown friend,

a helper in affliction,

and with your consent,

a trusted healer.

Yahia Lababidi’s new collection, Palestine Wail, is a heartfelt tribute to the Palestinian people, their struggles, and their resilience in the face of an ongoing genocide and ethnic cleansing. The collection, a love letter to Gaza, draws inspiration from the rich literary tradition of Palestinian resistance literature. Lababidi, known for his critically-acclaimed books of aphorisms, essays, and poetry, brings his unique voice to this personal, political and spiritual work. Lababidi’s “Wail” is, ultimately, a prayerful book seeking peace, healing and reconciliation — a testament to the transformative power of literature to keep hope alive in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. The above poems have been excerpted from Palestine Wail with the permission of the poet.