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4.72 AVERAGE
4.72 AVERAGE
hopeful
reflective
sad
Poetry is hard for me to sit with, especially when the poetry is focuses on something as raw and horrific as the death and hardship in Gaza (made worse when you take into perspective how these poems were written years ago and pale in comparison to the genocide happening right now). However, the simplicity of Abu Toha's writing, paired with the photographs and the interview at the end make this very accessible collection and something I'm very glad I picked up.
challenging
dark
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
sad
tense
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, War
I’m not one to read poetry often but it was a beautiful and heart wrenching view into life in a war zone and how much you try to keep it together any way you can. More of a collection of vignettes than anything but insightful and vivid. I don’t think I have the patience for poetry.
If this does not leave you wanting to do more to end the violence that touches every Palestinian family, I don't know what else can.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
I had the pleasure of meeting Mosab and listening to him read from his newest book. What an inspiring person. Words cannot describe how important books like this are in the world right now. Highly recommend this read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
A devastating but important read. Mosab Abu Toha is an incredible poet.
“In Gaza, the sun shines and the moon flirts with the leaves of the orange trees [..]”
“We deserve a better death […] our names are pronounced incorrectly on the radio and the TV […] the inscriptions on our gravestones disappear”
“I imagine the sky only occupied by birds and swollen clouds”
“My desk becomes crimson red. Screams fill the cracks in the walls and the potholes in the nameless roads”
“[…] Once he saw a swarm of clouds. He shouted “Dad, some bombs. Watch out!” He thought the clouds were bomb smoke . Even nature confuses us”
“In Gaza, the sun shines and the moon flirts with the leaves of the orange trees [..]”
“We deserve a better death […] our names are pronounced incorrectly on the radio and the TV […] the inscriptions on our gravestones disappear”
“I imagine the sky only occupied by birds and swollen clouds”
“My desk becomes crimson red. Screams fill the cracks in the walls and the potholes in the nameless roads”
“[…] Once he saw a swarm of clouds. He shouted “Dad, some bombs. Watch out!” He thought the clouds were bomb smoke . Even nature confuses us”
Toha talks about daily life on occupied land. If you are new to understanding the context to what you are seeing daily at the moment this is a great read for you. It may be a small book of poems but its big and rich at heart. It was written in Gaza on occupied land and Its context is all the more important. He may be speaking of bleak and dark circumstances but there is beauty and eloquence in his lyrics. He talks not only of the bleak landscape but of its beauty too.
Take a look through Toha's lens and imagine just for a moment how life has always been for them. I can say confidently you and I wouldn't call that life.
Take a look through Toha's lens and imagine just for a moment how life has always been for them. I can say confidently you and I wouldn't call that life.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
emotional
reflective
medium-paced