Three poems by Suheir Hammad
Suheir Hammad is from Brooklyn, by way of Palestine. She is American poet, author, performer, and political activist. She is the author of Breaking Poems, recipient of a 2009 American Book Award and the Arab American Book award for Poetry 2009. Her other books are ZaatarDiva; Born Palestinian, Born Black; and Drops of This Story. Her produced plays include Blood Trinity and breaking letter(s), and she wrote the libretto for the multimedia performance Re-Orientalism. An original writer and performer in the Tony-winning Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry Jam on Broadway, Suheir appears in the 2008 Cannes Film Festival Official Selection Salt of This Sea.
we are not numb
there are no pain killers
doctors steady themselves
against impossible pray miracle
no electric no sleep no
pain killer moons of daily
escalation blood telling trap
night raids the dawn views
our bodies morning dew
do not say abandoned
the terrified & grieving shot
reaching to recover them to cover
them no one had seen her
living hair & he used to swim
dressed in the sea let us cover
them from the flies if we not
allowed bury them whole & now
rain eyes staring night is
day no one will say tomorrow
TELL THEM
NOTHING
SAVE YOUR BREATH
POINT THEM TOWARDS FIRE
LEAD THEM TO DITCH
SHOW THE FLESH SMOKING
WAS OUR BROTHER
NOT A THING
TELL THEM
her smoking body shaking
droned out of skull & home streaming
cactus tears down sunken faces
enclave chests holding everyone ever
the living flame the woman alone
on a reef on a corner braids unraveled
eyes absorbing phosphorous proof
ablaze a lifetime of violence damages
a future without tomorrow
lips pursued tongue bit for if
ever she tells it will be a sea
of names & dreams she hums & burns
if ever she fixes her mouth
to speak bird speak again
it will be a wail of fire an inferno
a woman her one breath aflame