A Room of My Own: Covering the Middle East

for Edward Said, author of Covering Islam: How the Media and the Experts Determine How We See the Rest of the World

the flurry of white

between minarets

a scream cut short

If it bleeds, it leads

scrawled on a reporter's note

pinpoint bombings

Note: Covering the Middle East is a sequel to the following poem, which was first published in Chrysanthemum, 15, April 2014

The Promised Land

What will you do if they uproot your trees?
What will I do? Only plant them again.
What will you do if they bulldoze your houses?
What will I do? Only build them again.

Facing the stone-wall silence of riot police, a large gathering of men, women and children sings louder and louder, but none concedes his or her position.

hazy half moon

the separation wall

where olive groves stood

German Translation

Das verheißene Land

Was wirst du tun, wenn sie deine Bäume herausreißen?
Was wirst du tun? Sie halt noch einmal pflanzen.
Was wirst du tun, wenn sie deine Häuser niederreißen?
Was wirst du tun? Sie halt noch einmal bauen.

Auf die steinwandige Stille der aufrührerischen Polizei trifft eine große Ansammlung von Männern, Frauen und Kindern, die lauter und lauter singt, aber keiner gibt in seiner Position nach.

verschleierter Halbmond

die Trennmauer

wo einst Olivenhaine standen