By Raed Shomer
Raed Shomer is a Palestinian writer and poet from Gaza. He describes his work as “looking beyond war as an event to examine its quiet, lasting impact on everyday life.” His poetry has been published in Arabic online, including on the website Palestinian Stories. This is his first poem to appear in English.
“When the City Falls Asleep”When the city falls asleep,
The dead awaken from their graves,
Wondering:
Who planted roses in the cemeteries?
And the night screams:
Where did you bring all these coffins from?
When the city falls asleep,
I listen to the voices of those returning from the road,
As their murmurs reach me:
What on earth happened to the city?
Which face of death visited our home?
Where are we headed on a road with no doors?
When the city falls asleep,
Death casts its shadows over the rooftops,
Laughing loudly:
Hide your children well… for I have arrived,
And leave yourselves behind, for screaming is of no use.
When the city falls asleep,
I am bound to return,
And as my footsteps trace their way back,
Another sea spits me out,
And the roses along the path curse me.
I shall ask the heavens what transpired
So I do not appear a fool,
So I can scream every now and then,
Until when I see her, I do not ask once more:
What happened to my city?