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I am Palestine
by Karen Melander-Magoon

I am Palestine
I live between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River
My arms embrace Egypt, Syria and Arabia
I have born prophets and poets
Ishmael and Isaac
Sarah and Hagar
Humankind began in my womb
And seeded the world
Neanderthal children
Slept and dreamed
In my arms
Drank from the Wadi Natuf
Flowing past the west bank
Of their home
In the Shuqba cave
Burrowing deep
Into my ancestry
I am Palestine
My children
Lived and thought
In my arms
Thought and dreamed of tools
Stone and bronze
Observed the stars
Gave thanks
To the sun and the land
I am Palestine
Once I was a vassal to Egypt
My bronze artifacts
Bore tribute from Jerusalem's king
To Pharoah
I am Palestine
My children have played with stone
And copper
Bronze and iron
Weapons made to forage
Were turned upon my children
And blood was shed
I am Palestine
I have seen much blood
As eras move to eras
I am Silwan
I am water
And fertile land
I am compassion
Neighbors of my children
Have been welcome
Ideas have been welcome
Edom, Ammon, and Moab
Ruled by King Sihon
Lived in peace
Within my arms
I am Palestine
My peace has shed my blood
Oh, tribe of Joseph from Qadesh
Why could you not live in peace
With Palestine?
I am Palestine
I see tribe upon tribe
Come to feast upon my land
Suckle at my breasts
And rape my peace
Foreign greed
Would make me pawn
To war
Crush my history
Break my bones
Feed them to my enemies
I am Palestine
I grow new bones
My children are murdered
Buried in rubble
Starved and imprisoned
By walls of stone and steel
And hatred
I have seen stones and bronze and iron
Crushed in my arms
Buried in my soils
I am Palestine
I cannot be destroyed
My bones are made
Of angel dust
Angels' blood
Flows back into my veins
I am Palestine


 


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