Look And Tell Me

 LOOK AND TELL ME

13 year old Palestinian girl, Waad Tamimi, confronts Israeli terrorist soldiers. 

Look at the determination in this young Palestinian girl's eyes,
Look at her clinched fist of rage,
Look at her posture...so brave,
Look at her fortitude, courage and strength,
Look at her grit, perseverance and bravery,
Look at the lack of fear that she exhibits,
Then tell me whether she can be your child,
Tell me if you are proud,
Tell me if within your comforts you realize,
Tell me if you realize the human element,
Tell me if you understand the occupation,
Tell me if you understand the dehumanization of a people,
Tell me if you know that Israeli soldiers are terrorists,
Then tell me if you are doing anything about what you know

(  © Copyright, Fadi Zanayed.  Publication or distribution of this material is allowed provided its content is not altered and the source and its author are cited.)

Crying Out From My Roots

I am an olive tree in the spring

I have come through another winter

The rainy season has made my buds spring forth

My leaves will come next as my vegetation develops

I will continue to grow in the summer

As my harvest reenergizes me in the fall

My greenery dots the landscape

My olive skin is imbedded in my people

My olive oil flows through their veins

I am the agricultural epicenter of Palestine

I am a symbol of Palestinian steadfastness

My oil brings forth health benefits

The first olive pressing makes me extra virgin

Making me a friend of a healthy heart

Those who drink my oil have longevity

My oil is known to block the generation of cancerous tissue

Cooking with my oil is better for you

Those who know zeit wa zatar have cherished me for years

My roots are deep within the soil of the Holy Land of Palestine

My years have turned into centuries

The sun, the rain and the soil are my best friends

I belong to the land

And the land belongs to me

Why would anyone want to destroy me?

I have only benefited mankind

What have I done to cause my uprooting?

I am the oil of Palestine

My branches have survived emperors, conquerors and world wars

My trunks have survived droughts, floods, invasions and war

But I cannot survive the Apartheid Israeli occupation

I cannot survive the Apartheid Israeli settlers

My branches are being slaughtered

My trunks are being massacred

The victims of genocide are committing genocide upon me

The victims of genocide are committing genocide upon my owners

My roots cry out for justice

My roots cry out for understanding

My roots cry out for steadfastness

My roots cry out for education

My roots cry out for intervention

My roots cry out for peace

                Fadi Zanayed

                March 8, 2012

                7:32 am

Fearing A Child’s Mind

A Palestinian child sits on the curb

Surrounded by no less than 4 Apartheid Israeli soldiers

Their rifles pointed at him

He is looking up at them with bewilderment

Yet courage is not far from his structure

His eyes question his detention

Yet fear is not projected

His hands are hidden

Maybe a rock is in his hand

Are the Apartheid Israeli Soldiers in fear?

In fear of a rock in his hand

Or are they afraid of what is brewing inside his mind

-Fadi Zanayed

February 27, 2012

6:29 pm - Chicago

(© Copyright, Fadi Zanayed.  Publication or distribution of this material is allowed provided its content is not altered and the source and its author are cited.)

Flocks

A storm approaches

From where I do not know

The thunder is loud

The lighting lights up the sky

                Flocks of birds

                At different altitudes

                Are flying in and

                About the storm

                                At a high altitude

                                There is a distressed flock

                                Being battered by bolts of lighting

                                Yet they continue to fly directly into the storm

At a much lower level

A determined flock fly close to the earth

Hail strikes at their wings

Yet they continue in defiance

                Above the clouds

                There is an overstocked flock

                They fly in every direction

                Unconcerned with anything around them

                                Closely in front of the storm

                                There is a healthier flock

                                A few try to fly back but are unsuccessful

                                The others do not even bother




(  © Copyright, Fadi Zanayed.  Publication or distribution of this material is allowed provided its content is not altered and the source and its author are cited.)