First Intifada Anniversary Today: Three Poems for Palestinian Resistance

By Palestine Chronicle Employees

December 8 marks the anniversary of the First Palestinian Intifada (Rebellion).

On that day, in 1987, hundreds of Palestinians took to the streets to protest in opposition to the brutality of Israeli occupation, organizing mass demonstrations, forming resistance committees and staging strikes all around the occupied West Financial institution and the Gaza Strip. 

Israeli forces brutally repressed the rebellion, which lasted for almost six years, killing hundreds of Palestinians and injuring many extra.

The Palestine Chronicle pays tribute to the Palestinian individuals by publishing three poems devoted to Palestinian resistance. 

Martyrs of the Intifada 

By Fadwa Tuqan

They drew up the map of the street to life

they paved it with valuable stones and with their younger hearts

they raised their hearts as stones on their palms

embers and flame

and with these they pelted the monster of the street,

now could be the time to indicate braveness and power,

their voice was heard robust all over the place

it reverberated all over the place

and there was braveness and power

they died standing

blazing on the street

shining like stars

their lips pressed to the lips of life.

***

Demise charged and drove its scythe via them

they stood up within the face of demise

fairer than palm groves

fairer than the yield of wheat

fairer than vivid day rising

fairer than the timber which the rain has bathed within the lap of daybreak

they rose they sprang they have been on their option to the battlefield

and there they unfold like balls of fireside

they burned they shone and gave forth mild

in the midst of the street–after which disappeared just like the solar.

***

Ah dream of theirs which seem within the distance

embracing the joyful future!

You’ll result in their rebirth

together with their nice tomorrow.

Their rebirth will come will rise out of the depth of demise and darkness,

on its face it bears good tidings

and on its broad forehead a star shines.

***

Earth shall suckle him all via life

neither the concentrations of evil

nor the demons of earth land and sea

shall tear him from its breasts

by no means will he be weaned regardless of the usurper’s cruelty

he shall not be weaned

till in a perfidious night time demise paints

the nipples of the bountiful breasts with the juice of bitter apple.

***

Have a look at them within the distance!

How they stand up increased and better

whereas the entire world watches!

How they climb up ever increased

on a ladder of their gushing blood!

By no means shall treacherous demise seize their hearts

so long as rebirth and the brand new daybreak

stay their imaginative and prescient which guides them on the trail of sacrifice!

Have a look at them falcons of their Intifada

how they be a part of to the heavens the land and their sacred nation!

(Translated from Arabic)

– Fadwa Tuqan, was a Palestinian poet recognized for her representations of resistance to Israeli occupation in up to date Arab poetry. Typically, she is known as the “Poet of Palestine”

THREAD: First Intifada

“From 1987–1993, greater than 1,300 Palestinians have been killed, greater than 120,000 have been wounded, and a few 600,000 have been jailed. These are tales from the First Palestinian Intifada (rebellion), which erupted in 1987.” pic.twitter.com/2hxvi7kGNJ

— US Palestinian Group Community (@uspcn) December 8, 2021

Hand of Warfare

By Hosam Maarouf

We maintain struggle’s hand,

not in order that it walks amongst us,

however it’s demise,

a bit tardy, we cajole it.

We maintain struggle’s hand,

satisfied that that is the final time

it waves disaster to us,

because the street is a futile wall,

and the nation is looking out

for {a photograph}

of collective sorrow.

(Translated by Fady Joudah)

– Hosam Maarouf is a Palestinian poet and novelist from Gaza. His poetry assortment Demise Smells Like Glass was awarded the Mahmoud Darwish Museum prize in 2015. He additionally writes on literature for varied Arabic newspapers.

The well-known image from “The First Intifada” (1987-1993) of a kid throwing stones on the #Israeli military is Ramzi Abu Radwan, from #Ramallah.

A really courageous boy #Palestine @LailaPalestini1 pic.twitter.com/QDmgszIzPa

— Laila Palestinian lady (@LailaPalestini1) August 10, 2021

Intifada

By Fadlurrahman

You.

Return to your land

And I’ll return to mine.

You sowed the seed.

But it surely’s nourished by the blood

of my brethren.

The orange timber bear fruits of

purple,

The olives reek of demise.

It’s on my beloved land,

You’ve got forged your partitions of

hate.

The lambs of the prophets of

Golan Heights

Graze on blood-stained grass.

Jerusalem, the land of peace,

You recognize the prophets roamed

These lands,

Gaza nonetheless echoes of poetry,

Darwish and Barghouti.

Holy land, certainly.

Your merciless bombs,

Your drones,

Your cut-throat bullets;

Components of the temporary monsoon.

Spring blooms of timber

Erupting off Qabrs

Pampered by breeze

Fragranced by martyrdom.

 (Translated by Anan Ashraf)

– Fadlurrahman was born in 1995, in Vazhikkadavu village, in India . Aside from literature and lecturers, he pursues his curiosity in political activism and theater. This poem was initially revealed in The Palestine Chronicle