Read my 2 newest poems in Electric Lit!

I’m honored to report that my two newest poems, “of cemeteries & chimney swifts” and “in arabic, the word for poppy is pieces,” are fresh out at Electric Literature!

It’s fairly common for pieces to be in the publishing queue for many weeks or months before they’re published, which was the case for these poems. So, neither at the time I wrote them nor at the time they were accepted for publication could we have known there’d be a sham “ceasefire” in place (it’s not a ceasefire if they don’t actually cease the fire!) and some of the Gazans who survived the past year and a half get to return home—or what’s left of it. The timeliness—and, if I may be so bold, the simultaneous timelessness—of these poems shows how our struggle continues.

These poems are so dear to me. Especially “of cemeteries & chimney swifts” because even as I’ve rejoiced at getting to see my people return home, I know hardship is far from over. And I keep thinking about all the people who were exiled, swearing to themselves they’d make it home soon, only to return as ghosts. I think of the people who followed the occupation’s forced evacuation orders and wonder if they could’ve know they wouldn’t make it back if they would have stayed. Grief and joy co-mingle.

Give them a read, and let me know what you think. <3

If you like these, you’ll love We Had Mansions! It’s coming out in May or June, so I’ll keep you posted on the book.