Tuesday 27 January 2009

To A Palestinian Mother by Naima B. Robert

My sister
In humanity,
In the pain of childbearing
In the struggle of childrearing,
My sister in Islam

I heard that they killed your children
Slaughtered by the hundreds and thousands
Young lives snatched from the jaws of destiny
Young dreams to be dreamed no more
And I cannot comprehend.

For no matter how many times
I hear,
Read,
Or see it,
I cannot know your pain.

I cannot know what it is to once have felt a life kick and twist
inside you,
And then, a few brief years later,
lay those once kicking legs,
lifeless, into the earth.

I cannot know what it is
to once have heard a voice cry
and laugh for you
And then, a few brief years later,
lay that once smiling face,
lifeless, into the earth.

I cannot know what it is to once have held your child,
whole, inyour arms
And then, a few brief years later,
have to gather him up as blood,bones and flesh.

No matter how many times I hear,
Read,
Or see it,
I cannot know your pain.

For every number out of a hundred dead
Was a child once
With a mother who
Lived,
Loved
And sacrificed for him.

And so, my sister
Forgive me
My helplessness shames me
My powerlessness maims me
My conscience blames me.

So I will pray for you
I will give what I can for you
I will tell your story
I will remember you
But with a heart full of humility

For no matter how many times I hear,
Read,
Or see it,
I cannot know your pain.

Forgive me, my sister
Forgive me.

4 comments:

Inspired Muslimah said...

I really enjoy her work! Its soo hard to find her books at any bookstore or library. I have been looking for from my sisters lips for so long. I think I will just have to order it off amazon since I cant go buy it anywhere.

Inspired Muslimah said...

you have been tagged sis!

http://newmuslimahrevert.blogspot.com/2009/01/i-have-been-tagged.html

Naimah said...

Assalamu 'alaykum sis, I have Naimah's book 'from my sisters lips' and it's really good masha'Allaah, and I feel it would be good for daw'ah also insha Allaah. I ordered mine off amazon.

Jazakillaahu khairan for the tag, insha Allaah will try do it tonight or if not tomorrow.

Inspired Muslimah said...

Salaams sis, you have been tagged by me for the coolest blog award.

http://newmuslimahrevert.blogspot.com/