Weeks before he was killed by an Israeli airstrike, Palestinian poet Refaat Alareer shared his 2011 poem If I Must Die. The persona then invites readers to make and fly white kites in his honor, so that a child in Gaza, who only knows hardship, “sees the kite, my kite you made, flying up above/and thinks for a moment an angel is there/bringing back love.” Since his death in Northern Gaza on Dec. 6, his words have taken on new significance—not least for how they capture the civilian experience, but also for how they serve as a self-written eulogy for the late poet.
How Poetry Became a Tool of Resistance for Palestinians fresnobee.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from fresnobee.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
For centuries, poetry has been a boundless form of human expression. Various Palestinian poets have inspired generations with their powerful words narrating the Palestinian experience, conveying the pain of exile, and highlighting the resilience of their people. These poets have invited readers to understand their struggles and victories a world otherwise unknown unless experienced.