To Palestine
The poem highlights the loss of childhood dreams in Gaza due to the war, portraying the children’s resilience, and the world’s indifference. It calls for global action to protect these young lives and their future.
The children of Gaza no longer have dreams Instead it lies under the rubble, their homes torn at the seams Piled upon rocks and shrouded in white sheets Hidden in black tar that covers their streets The children of Gaza can no longer play Instead they sit idly, with nothing to say Their faces plagued with grief and dismay The children of Gaza no longer have fear What child waits for death to come near? And no longer waits for help to interfere? If only the world could see their brilliance Instead they fight to prove their innocence What about those who stand with ambivalence? What part of a child dying demands indifference? And when time passes, what will they say? They’ll rewrite history, they’ll have their own day
Process
Hearing about what’s been going on in Gaza these past few weeks have made me angry and incredibly upset. I was inspired to write this poem after seeing the amount of pain and suffering the people in Gaza are going through–especially the children. I wrote this poem to highlight the resilience of these children.
Najma Darwish
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Najma Darwish
Najma Darwish is a undergraduate at St. Catherine University studying Public Health and minoring in Biology. She's a campaigner for change and justice and an author of short stories, essays, and poetry.
