Happy Palestinian Mothers Day
Once upon a time, here was a mother, a child, and there was a green green Palestine, recites Iqbal Tamimi.
Once upon a time
There was a home for every mother
And neighbours used to love each other
Once upon a time
There was a green Palestine
Olive trees were as dear as children
Kissing the braids of the sun
Worried …not to be uprooted next day
No dime bombs were born yet
No white phosphorus burned our children’s’ smiles
Only rain landed gently from the sky
The skin of my land was guarded by rose petals
No tanks roamed our neighbourhoods
Roars of laughter only stirred the silence
We used to hear the heart beat of our land
Hug its mud
Feeling blessed
To see the stars blossom on its sand
Watch oranges bathe under the sun
Thyme used to spray its poems
On the chest of the dawn
The hills
Used to yawn
Whenever the sun took off its heat
Or dipped in the sea its feet
Once upon a time
Nothing blocked our way
We could have made our beds on the clouds
We could have painted a rainbow on the shoulders of the night
Embroidered heaven’s cheeks with kites
Walked without turning around in fear
We used to sleep… deep
No one broke our door with the heal of his gun
We had plenty to feed the spring
White used to swing on our washing lines
Blood never stained our pillows
We never had to visit so many people in jail
Or whisper to each other
Thank the lord..
We have finished counting our dead
The casualties are less than yesterday’s
Once upon a time
We talked about education…,
Building an extra room
And wedding parties in the summer
Our dreams are not so many any more
Our dreams now are copies of each other
Once upon a time
Mothers used to tell stories to children
Who do wake up from their deep sleep
Mothers did not have to talk
To shadows,
To piles of stones,
Or stains of blood on half standing walls
Once upon a time
There was a mother, a child, and
There was a green green Palestine.
Iqbal Tamimi is a Palestinian journalist and poet from Hebron. She is the creator of the vibrant activists’ network Palestinian Mothers.
