Olive Tree
I cling to the olive tree
A testament to my past
We picnicked under its shade
The heirloom of my family
It stood with me when my home tumbled
Provided shade for my sister’s funeral
A sanctuary when all refuge vanished
Not much of our groves is left
Years of work burnt to ashes
The city howls with wounded cries
No bird now makes home in the tree
The lament weaves through the oud’s strings
As my land crumbles away
I cling to the olive tree
Poet's note:
The poem is inspired by the artwork of Bashar, a Palestinian artist. He took inspiration from a photograph of a Palestinian woman clinging to an olive tree after it was attacked by Israeli settlers. The photograph is an iconic image symbolizing the struggle of Palestinians on a daily basis. The poem also encapsulates the imagery of destruction in Palestine. Through this poem I want to give voice to a woman’s lamentation. Even though we are miles apart, as a human being I feel the pain of Palestinians deep within. Writing about it is my way of saying,
“I hear you and you’re not alone.”
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– Hafsa Mubarik, a graduate from LCWU, is a fiction writer whose recent short story, “Epiphany”, was featured in University of Punjab’s Anthology ‘Spaces and Places’. Her work also got published in The Bridge Magazine, The Literary Chowk, and in a few other anthologies. She also writes poetry sometimes. Besides writing, she enjoys being a teacher at Lahore Grammar School.
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