Axis of Logic
Finding Clarity in the 21st Century Mediaplex

Anti-War Poems
A bird sings in Gaza
By Basman Derawi | We Are Not Numbers
Mondoweiss
Wednesday, Dec 13, 2017


Note from the director of WeAreNotNumbers.org:

The Rafah crossing from Gaza into Egypt has opened only 17 days so far this year, and more than 20,000 Palestinians are on the list to leave. During the last opening this month, only 1,441 people were allowed to leave Gaza. That is less than 5 percent of students and the sick, etc. seeking to travel.

Meanwhile, despite the hopes for the new Palestinian “consensus” government, Egypt has used bombing of the Sinai mosque as an excuse to close Rafah once again.

A bird sings in Gaza

A bird sings
of love and longing,
and flutters his wings.
His olive tree is silent.

Does she listen?
Does she feel?
She is his home.
He hides in her arms.

A far light appears,
a new light.
His hope awakens,
and his heart races.
He waves his wings.

The light disappears.
Was it real?
Again he lifts his wings
and prepares to fly.
Nothing.

He turns to the tree,
as if to ask if she sees.
His olive tree is silent.

He sings again
of love and longing.



Basman Derawi is a 29-year-old physiotherapist and Gaza-based writer for We Are Not Numbers. He has been able to leave Gaza once in his life, for medical treatment.


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