Palestine Think Tank

Free Minds for a Free Palestine

Posts Tagged ‘Poetry’

Zahra Carla Pilavdzic – Personal Problems in a Privileged Society

By Mary Rizzo • Mar 1st, 2010 • Category: Analysis, Mary's Choice, Music, Poetry, Events, Resistance

WRITTEN BY ZAHRA CARLA PILAVDZIC  (artwork by Carlos Latuff)
So and so thinks she's too fat. She not only wants some liposuction but a nose job while she's at it. And if she could afford it, maybe some new boobs. She thinks then she'll be famous and people will love her.
Another one has more serious problems, [...]



Doc Jazz: "Independence cannot be given to you"

By Guest Post • Feb 22nd, 2010 • Category: Biography, Culture and Heritage, Features, Interviews, Music, Poetry, Events, Newswire, Palestine, Resistance, Somoud: Arab Voices of Resistance, Uprooted Palestinians' Testimonies

Interview with Palestinian Musician (and Surgeon) Doc Jazz
"I want the people to believe in themselves again, in the same spirit as that of the first Intifada that started in 1987. They seem to be increasingly depending on others, and leaving their fate to be decided by others than themselves. But my message to them is: independence cannot be given to you, it can only start by acting independently. Otherwise you are only on the road to a new 'dependence'. This is the motto of my 'come-back'. And I hope that in some way or other, my music relays that message."



Raymond Deane – Utopia as Alibi: Said, Barenboim and the Divan Orchestra

By Guest Post • Dec 14th, 2009 • Category: Analysis, Features, Israel, Newswire, Palestine, War, Zionism

By Raymond Deane*
As a classical musician involved in pro-Palestinian activism, I frequently encounter the assumption that I am an unconditional admirer of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra (WEDO). My reservations on this score tend to produce shocked disapproval: How could I not enthuse about such an idealistic project, particularly since it was co-founded by the late [...]



Arab Izzah Harb – Dignity (from Palestine to New York City)

By Guest Post • Oct 5th, 2009 • Category: Arabian Coffee House, Music, Poetry, Events, Newswire, Palestine

(art: Arab Woman by Shepard Fairey)
Dignity, my sisters and brothers demand it, so hand it to them now.
Soldiers with big guns pointed at our little ones
At our women and men again and again.
They shout and they berate, humiliate and hate
At Al Aqsa and Allenby Gate
While the old stand and wait.
 
“You’re dirty! Drink your piss! Dance to [...]



Samah Sabawi – Peace Talks

By Guest Post • Sep 25th, 2009 • Category: Features, Hasbara Deconstruction Site, Israel, Music, Poetry, Events, Newswire, Palestine

Let's talk
Let's negotiate
Let's have a conference, a summit, a debate
A multifaith dialogue to eliminate hate
They'll call us men of peace
And after our love fest
We can issue a joint release
Of how we talk
Let's talk
But not about ethnic cleansing
Forget Dier Yassin
Don't speak of apartheid
Or the destruction of Jennin
Be blind to the pain in Gaza
The hunger, the disease
The [...]



Remi Kanazi – Israel/America: A Rambling Poem (video)

By Remi Kanazi • Sep 18th, 2009 • Category: Arabian Coffee House, Culture and Heritage, Israel, Music, Poetry, Events, Newswire, Palestine, Resistance, Somoud: Arab Voices of Resistance, Zionism

Every time I think of 9/11
I see burning flesh dripping off the bones of Iraqi children in Fallujah
Now Gaza
I tend to memorialize the forgotten
The collateral damage eclipsing our unpunished crimes
Maybe it’s because I’m a numbers guy
Because if I had a dollar for every time an Iraqi died since 2003 
I’d be a millionaire
And don’t get me [...]



"Land First, Then Peace": letter by former Saudi Ambassador to the USA and UK

By Guest Post • Sep 16th, 2009 • Category: Analysis, Israel, Nakba and Right of Return, Newswire, Opinions and Letters, Palestine, Religion

The United States and other Western powers have for some time been pushing Saudi Arabia to make more gestures toward Israel. More recently, the crown prince of Bahrain urged greater communication with Israel and joint steps from Arab states to revive the peace process.
Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam, the custodian of its two [...]



Samah Sabawi – God Forsaken

By Guest Post • Apr 11th, 2009 • Category: Counter-terrorism, No thanks!, Features, Israel, Music, Poetry, Events, Newswire, Palestine, Religion, Resistance, Somoud: Arab Voices of Resistance, War, Zionism

A poem to think about on this day when many around the world reflect about the meaning of Divinity and Resurrection from Death. In a world where the life of an innocent child is no longer sacred, nothing in the world is. Poet, playwright and human rights advocate asks us what a life is worth in this world that is God Forsaken, where young men boast of their killing 'finesse' and men and women are killed for a symbol that is bereft of meaning. This poem was found by Adib S Kawar, who translated it into Arabic. It was also translated into Hebrew by human rights advocate and family therapist Avigail Abarbanel. Mary Rizzo translated it into Italian, other languages are on the way at www.tlaxcala.es



Let me die… poem of a Palestinian child

By Mary Rizzo • Apr 4th, 2009 • Category: Children's Corner, Israel, Music, Poetry, Events, Newswire, Palestine, Resistance, Video, War, Zionism

See this video written by a Palestinian child and recited by another one. It is heartbreaking to know that the innocence of these children and all their joy is destroyed by the evilness of military occupation. Let's not let this child or any child die, of sadness, hunger or any other reason. Let's Free Palestine, Free Children and Free ourselves now before it is too late.



In loving memory of Elias Kawar

By Mary Rizzo • Mar 14th, 2009 • Category: Artwork, Biography, Features, Music, Poetry, Events, Newswire, Palestine

Our beloved brother in the struggle and dear friend Adib lost a precious member of his family last week. We join his family in condolences and publish this beautiful poem in loving memory of another Palestinian who died without seeing his homeland once again. (artwork by Ben Heine)
"In the memory of my brother Elias who [...]