A TALE OF TWO PALESTINIANS

I am here

He is there

Tranquility surrounds me 

Pandemonium surrounds him

I fear nothing 

He fears bombs 

Peacefulness in my home

Helplessness in his tent

Food a plenty fills me

Hungry belly aches him

Water on my nightstand 

Water he cannot find 

Warmth under my covers

Chills through his bones

Tears in my eyes

Survival on his mind

-Fadi Zanayed 

December 6, 2023

11:36 pm

A SEED RISES

A father is anticipating
His first child rejoicing
Away looking for food
In this catastrophic mood
His son is born
In a war zone
He has not returned today
Bombs falling what can I say
The mother’s tears fall
Upon the child and us all
The child with no name
Scurrying quickly is to blame
 No diapers to change
No clothes to exchange
No food to nourish
No water to flourish
What is this child’s fate
Born on this date
No father to see
No joy no glee
Will anger spring forth
Will revenge be his growth
A father died this day
A son is born this day
A body is buried today
A martyr’s seed rises today

- Fadi Zanayed, December 9, 2023 5:46 am

I wrote this poem after I saw a video of a recently born child in Gaza.

A VOICE OF DETERMINATION

 I hear a voice

A faint voice underneath

Underneath the rubble

My ears get near

 Nearer and nearer

I remove one stone 

Another stone then another

I see his eyes 

 Eyes of determination

To live above the rubble 

I pull him up

And up he raises a flag

  A Palestinian flag 

FADI  ZANAYED

January 31, 2024

8:46 am

As I Wonder

The aroma awakens the senses

As Dad cooks the foul beans

Fresh peeled and diced garlic are scattered

As a lemon is squeezed into the bowl

Parsley is used to garnish

As virgin olive oil is poured

My mouth salivates

As my mother's freshly baked bread comes out of the oven

Hot tea is boiling

As we gather around the kitchen table

My thoughts are of those wonderful mornings

As I wonder why my foul doesn’t taste the same

I long for those days in Ramallah

As I remember the camaraderie of our neighbors

I long for plucking fresh succulent figs

As I remember our farm filled with fruits

I long for the day where I can return

As I wonder if peace will fill the air

Jenin

(This poem was written in 2010.)

The reader may not want to read this poem

For the descriptions herein may make you cry

It may even move you away from your apathy

So if you are prepared to activate your soul, continue to read

But if you are going to read this poem and walk away

Walk away without any feeling--then stop, stop right here

Last night I received an email

Horrific pictures of an atrocity

Inflicted by a people, mighty as can be

Against a defenseless people, weak as can be seen

There is this one picture out of many that horrifies me

It is of a dismembered body part that is unrecognizable

Is it a leg or an arm?

Is it a part of a stomach, buttock and leg?

Is it parts of the legs and half a buttock?

You cannot really tell

The middle part of this body part is missing the skin

Internal organs or intestines or bones or all three are exposed

The color red is significantly present

The curvy maligned internal parts render the severity of the atrocity

What barrage of shells exploded upon this body?

Was it a guided missile?

Why would a missile hit this person?

What did he or she do to deserve this dismemberment?

Is it a part of a child?

A mother

A grandmother

A sister

On the other hand, is she a mother, grandmother, sister all in one?

Is it your brother?

Your father

Your grandfather

On the other hand, is he a father, grandfather, brother all in one?

Do you care? 

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.)

WE ARE PALESTINE

Palestine is in us and we are Palestinians

We are the land and the land is us

We are the soil of Palestine

And the soil of Palestine runs through our veins

We are the air of Palestine

And the air of Palestine runs through our lungs

We are the mountains of Palestine

And the mountains of Palestine is in our steadfastness

We are the hills and valleys of Palestine

And the hills and valleys of Palestine are in our hearts

We are the olive trees of Palestine

And the olive trees of Palestine give us our skin color

We are the rocks and stones of Palestine

And the rocks and stones of Palestine give us courage

 

 

                                    -Fadi Zanayed

                                    March 8, 2012

                                    12:13 pm

(  © 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

Fly Bird Fly

Picture Credit:  https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150253161370814&set=a.10150253142165814.321090.524025813&type=3&l=e4ffae0bcc&theater

Whistle in the night

Somber moment without light

I welcome the song of the bird

For days the only sound I’ve heard

The song of freedom chirping in the air

Ironically I am a prisoner of despair

Fly bird fly in support of those who care for you

Go and fight for what we are due

Prosper mentally in our cause

Become a leader who knows when to pause

Build conviction, honor and determination

Build democracy into a nation

Fly bird fly letting your wings stretch across the sky

Encompass within your wings all within our pie

The whole without all its sum is but a part

Be a leader who is brave and smart

Build a consensus while respecting the call

The call to honor and respect for us all

My captors have brought supper for me to eat

Stay and feast before the duty you have to meet

Whistle in the night

Then I’ll know your path is right

Remember me as I linger in jail

Rescue me before I grow old and frail

I will be with you night and day

I am your conscience in the words you say

Bless the children who throw the stone

It is in their eyes that we see what we own

Condemn the hypocrisy of those who occupy

They see not the history of why they cry

Be good, self-righteous and fair

People will listen over the air

Neither harm nor be harmed in the course you take

Rather set your mark and plant your stake

For here is the line you must draw

While respecting international law

The world will then see us within our right

Using civil disobedience not our might

Fly bird fly letting your energy soar

Free me to Palestine once more

           Fadi Zanayed


(  © 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.)

I Am A Palestinian Eagle

I am a Palestinian eagle

Perched upon the tallest olive tree

I see everything as far as it can be seen

But I see not into the distance

Rather I see into the past and the future

I am a Palestinian eagle

I have seen hilltop settlements eating my land

I have seen olive groves uprooted and destroyed

I have seen tanks aiming at children with stones

I have seen my brethren fight against each other

I am a Palestinian eagle

I see my people imprisoned collectively

I see a Swiss chess carving of my land

I see a checkpoint siege of my people

I see unacceptable zones of occupation

I am a Palestinian eagle

I see no end to negotiations

I see children throwing stones

I see woman taking to the streets

I see churches and mosques preaching

I am a Palestinian eagle

I see the international boycott of Israel

I see UN recognition of Palestine

I see World Court tribunals for Israeli leaders

I see a democratic Palestinian state

                                Fadi Zanayed

                                November 23, 2011

                                8:57 am

(  © 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.)

Gaining Political Awareness

On November 21, 1967 at O’Hare Airport we landed

Onto a land filled with milk and honey that did flow

To greet us, all our relatives had banded

As little white flakes came down, my first snow

I remember the election of 1968

Death that year was howling like the moon

In April the television showed horses pulling a coffin in a crate

And then I watched as Bobby was shot in June

I wanted to know everything around

I watched the news and acquired knowledge

Seeing MLK and RFK slain did hound

Hound me to absorb compassion’s edge

In school the speech teacher took away my accent

As three beautiful smart girls inspired me

Their presence in my life meant

Meant a turning point you see

By third grade I knew what I wanted to be

A lawyer was going to be my deal

Being aware of my identity

I was beginning to feel

In sixth grade the Jewish teacher wanted me to engage

Dying a t-shirt light blue and wear a pants colored white

To sing Hava Nagela during the Spring Assembly on stage

I refused because I knew this was not right

For music I earned an F grade

Proudest grade I would receive

She knew not what she had made

In me a political activist she did conceive

As hijackings dominated the news

Political awareness came my way

As I was forming my political views

Listening to what my elders had to say

President Carter presented a human rights campaign

This gave me hope that he would correct a wrong

But with each Middle East event frustration turned into pain

And I knew that the days, weeks, months and years would be long

                                                Fadi Zanayed

                                                December 4, 2011

                                                1:35 am

(  © 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.)