A review by notesofacrocodile
Gaza Writes Back by Refaat Alareer

challenging dark reflective sad tense

5.0

this was such a heartbreaking experience, of a people fighting to get their voice through in a time when attempts are made to silence them. but they are loud, and the stories they have to say are terrifying to a measure that no human should be witnessing. the late refaat alareer edited this collection along with adding three of his own stories, and altogether, i cannot express just how important it is that everyone reads it.

And despite Israel’s death sentences
Like lead 
Cast upon the head, 
Gnawing at our life, 
Clinging to it like a flea to a kitten, 
And stuffed in our throats 
The moment we say “Amen” 
To the prayers of old women and men 
Blocking their ways to God, 
We dream and pray, 
Clinging to life even harder 
Every time a dear one’s life 
Is forcibly rooted up. 
We live. We live. 
We do.