Abu Toha returns with yet another powerful collection that reads like a sequel of sorts of his previous, Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear, with its continued and reflective focus on Palestine and the heartache that Palestinians have felt for decades. What I think stands out about Forest of Noise is how much more personal this collection reads, with Abu Toha highlighting specific moments from his own life that reveal worries he carries for the family still in Gaza, grief that constantly stirs in his soul for the loved ones who are gone, as well as longing for a brighter future for his children. The way Abu Toha traces his family roots and ties throughout this collection is utterly thought-provoking, especially to point out how Israeli occupation has impacted past, present, and future generations.

Much like his previous collection, Abu Toha continues to write in a very accessible fashion for novice readers of poetry, while still challenging them with thought-provoking themes and their time to sit with these poems. One very minor criticism I have is that I did feel that something was missing from Forest of Noise, and I actually preferred his previous collection a tad more. I frankly want to write it off as perhaps not being in the right headspace for his new poems at the time of reading them, considering that I have been struggling to focus on reading.

Despite this, I strongly believe this is another collection worth picking up, especially if you want to continue familiarizing yourself with what’s happening in Palestine.

Some favorites: “No Art,” “The Last Kiss,” “Palestinian Village,” “Under the Rubble,” “Daughter,” “Gazan Family Letters, 2092,” “History Class,” “Love Poem,” “True or False: A Test by a Gazan Child,” and “Rescue Plane”

Note: Many thanks to the publisher for sending me an ARC to review.