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A review by tsedi
Birthright by George Abraham
5.0
the most moving book ive read in a minute,, here’s some things i’m thinking ab without giving details away.
this book “owe[s] nothing to Truth,” but everything to memory, so the writing is real inventive (at one point they call it an exhibit, which i def see). it feels like breaking apart and piecing together george abraham’s memories and familial histories with them; i often found myself holding my breath. (transformational) repetition, erasure, mirroring, contradiction, and borders appear very literally in the structure of these poems, reflecting how abraham feels their shifting experiences as a queer Palestinian-American.
the collection also translates (is always translating) and curses zionist tactics imbued in a lot of dialogue about Palestine. reflects on how language chosen by israel and americans especially has erased, warped, justified, and weaponized reality. it addresses the dangers of viewing the ongoing nakba and genocide with learned helplessness/as solely a watered down political talking point. instead, birthright roots out unambiguous humanity outside of the hyper strength/resilience/needing to prove yourself narrative (!!!), familial + spiritual + corporeal/biological impacts, living & mourning, longing + relation to queer love and fear, and the many intimate violences of colonialism while keeping Palestinians’ liberation at the center.
outside of the review of the book — part of the moving power for me is the familiar history and “central contradiction” for children of brutal diasporas/born as a result of exile/forced migration. im thinking about south africa ofc, but there’s something larger to be said about the future of long-standing Black and Palestinian connection and solidarity; idk yet. the thank you to Black writers Danez Smith, Terrence Hayes, and DéLana Dameron really brought that to mind for me. so did
“?reverse in read to hardest history isn’t
?repetition in digest to hardest it isn’t”
(isn’t history hardest to read in reverse? isn’t it hardest to digest in repetition?)”
birthright is a big rec if you learn/feel deeply from experimental poetry (poetry as critical theory and history! art/imagination as a part of tangible change! and outside of the colonial imagination— read his poem ekphrasis on a fragmented nationalism.) reminded to let guilt, grief, and rage be catalyzing emotions— another fav quote below:
“if i let this become an elegy, that means i failed.” this exhibit comes with a call to action, responsibility to life, and a lot a lot a lot of love.
there’s so much more that birthright had me wanting to say/hear, but this is a long ass review already. also! he has this set of instructions about reading in the end that i wish i read before the book started so look there if u want! it’s better to read from abraham than me, and tbh the book might be read better fresh with none of my notes — but if you want my copy, let’s share and talk more
this book “owe[s] nothing to Truth,” but everything to memory, so the writing is real inventive (at one point they call it an exhibit, which i def see). it feels like breaking apart and piecing together george abraham’s memories and familial histories with them; i often found myself holding my breath. (transformational) repetition, erasure, mirroring, contradiction, and borders appear very literally in the structure of these poems, reflecting how abraham feels their shifting experiences as a queer Palestinian-American.
the collection also translates (is always translating) and curses zionist tactics imbued in a lot of dialogue about Palestine. reflects on how language chosen by israel and americans especially has erased, warped, justified, and weaponized reality. it addresses the dangers of viewing the ongoing nakba and genocide with learned helplessness/as solely a watered down political talking point. instead, birthright roots out unambiguous humanity outside of the hyper strength/resilience/needing to prove yourself narrative (!!!), familial + spiritual + corporeal/biological impacts, living & mourning, longing + relation to queer love and fear, and the many intimate violences of colonialism while keeping Palestinians’ liberation at the center.
outside of the review of the book — part of the moving power for me is the familiar history and “central contradiction” for children of brutal diasporas/born as a result of exile/forced migration. im thinking about south africa ofc, but there’s something larger to be said about the future of long-standing Black and Palestinian connection and solidarity; idk yet. the thank you to Black writers Danez Smith, Terrence Hayes, and DéLana Dameron really brought that to mind for me. so did
“?reverse in read to hardest history isn’t
?repetition in digest to hardest it isn’t”
(isn’t history hardest to read in reverse? isn’t it hardest to digest in repetition?)”
birthright is a big rec if you learn/feel deeply from experimental poetry (poetry as critical theory and history! art/imagination as a part of tangible change! and outside of the colonial imagination— read his poem ekphrasis on a fragmented nationalism.) reminded to let guilt, grief, and rage be catalyzing emotions— another fav quote below:
“if i let this become an elegy, that means i failed.” this exhibit comes with a call to action, responsibility to life, and a lot a lot a lot of love.
there’s so much more that birthright had me wanting to say/hear, but this is a long ass review already. also! he has this set of instructions about reading in the end that i wish i read before the book started so look there if u want! it’s better to read from abraham than me, and tbh the book might be read better fresh with none of my notes — but if you want my copy, let’s share and talk more