By Famidah Mundir Dirampaten
Come in, and sip with us our Arabic coffee
[you may even feel that you are human, just as we are]
you there, by the threshold of our door
take your rockets away from our mornings
we may then feel secure
[and almost human][1]
[To a killer:] If you reflected upon the face of the victim you slew,
you would have remembered your mother in the room full of gas.
You would have freed yourself of the bullet’s wisdom,
and changed your mind: ‘I will never find myself thus.’[2]
In the above passages from the poem entitled “A State of Siege,” penned amidst the 2002 second Intifada, Mahmoud Darwish explores the Israeli occupation and the hopes of Palestinians. By playing on the idea of hospitality, the poem subtly challenges the binary concepts of victim and offender.Darwish believes culture and memory can help break the siege and facilitate social cohesion. He invokes collective memories of suffering and victimhood to highlight the overlapping experiences of Palestinians and Israelis. The poem is rooted in the context of occupation from a historical perspective juxtaposed with the poet’s own experience of siege. The poetry of Mahmoud Darwish is known for its exploration of various subjects and meticulous approach to form. He promotes dialogue and understanding among diverse narratives, steering clear of narrow-mindedness or superiority, supporting peaceful coexistence with diverse cultures.[3]
Mahmoud Darwish, in an interview with Raja Shehadeh for Bomb Magazine Fall 2002 Issue, shared a poignant moment from his childhood that made him take poetry seriously. At 12, living under Israeli military rule in Galilee, Darwish was invited to read a poem during Israel’s Independence Day celebration. The poem reflected on the Arabs being obliged to observe Israel’s independence. The next day, the Israeli military governor scolded Darwish for writing such a poem, which made him realize the power and seriousness of poetry. This incident made him understand that expressing the truth through poetry could be a dangerous activity.[4]
He made mention of State of Siege, a poet’s journal about resisting the occupation by looking for beauty in poetry and nature, during the same conversation. It served to defy military violence through the power of poetry. “The victory of the permanent, the everlasting, the eternal, over the siege and the violence,” he expressed in his own words. [5]
As a Palestinian poet, Darwish is considered a major figure in international literature. He conveyed the depth of Palestinian resilience and pain in his moving and evocative writing. His works shed light on the Palestinian struggle and experience, making them a cultural beacon for many people around the world. He was able to articulate the collective emotions and aspirations of his people. Moreover, he wrote about more than just politics in his works; they also explore the human state and the depths of emotional and existential experiences. Thus, making him an envoy to human consciousness.
Mahmoud Darwish was born in 1941 in Al-Birwa, Israel, to Salim and Houreyyah Darwish. His family sought refuge in Lebanon after Israeli forces took control of their village in 1948.[6] They returned a year later only to find the community demolished, and their land occupied. They were denied Israeli citizenship and declared “present absentees” after missing the census. As a child, Darwish witnessed firsthand the obliteration of Palestinian identity. This identity crisis marked the Palestinian resistance, a cause he passionately championed through his powerful literary voice.[7]
At 22, he boldly recited his poem “Identity Card” with its resolute refrain of “Record: I am an Arab.” to an enthusiastic audience in a movie house in Nazareth. Rejecting Golda Meir’s claim that “there are no Palestinians,” his poems helped to shape the Palestinian movement that arose after 1967.[8]
After being repeatedly arrested and imprisoned for publicly reading his poetry and for his political activism, Darwish left Israel in 1970 and lived in exile for over 25 years. He settled in Beirut but had to flee after the 1982 Israeli invasion. Memory for Forgetfulness, his creative and intense memoir, delves into the political and historical aspects of the Israeli invasion of Lebanon and the shelling of Beirut. The piece looks at the meaning of exile, the role of the writer during war, and how writing and history are intrinsically linked. He was banned from returning to Israel after joining the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO).
In 1974, as fate would have it, he crossed paths with another influential figure of PLO, Edward Said. Their contributions to poetry and academia shaped the Palestinian cultural landscape. They formed a notable friendship after meeting, sharing a similar history of uprooting during the Nakba and dedicating their lives to amplifying the Palestinian narrative in the diaspora.[9] Darwish and Said collaborated on Yasser Arafat’s 1974 speech, with Darwish handling the Arabic writing and Said working on the English translation. Arafat’s poetic credentials were on display when he proclaimed, “I arrive with an olive branch in one hand, and the gun of a freedom fighter in the other.”[10]
In 1987, he was elected to the PLO Executive Committee, serving for six years until his resignation in 1993. Both intellectuals eventually grew disenchanted with the Palestinian political leadership during the 1993 Oslo Accords. Darwish declared the agreement as the demise of the Palestinian cause, while Said likened it to the Palestinian equivalent of the Versailles Treaty.[11] “There was no clear link between the interim period and the final status, and no clear commitment to withdraw from the occupied territories,” he explained.[12]
Darwish eventually became the editor of Al Karmel, a literary and cultural journal based in Cyprus. It was in this publication that Said often shared his academic articles and commentary.[13] Edward Said expressed admiration for Darwish highlighting his exceptional intellect, ability to think independently, and refined cultural sensitivity, which made him an invaluable political figure.[14]
Moreover, he authored more than 30 volumes of poems and eight books of prose, some of which were anthems set to music by Arab artists. He was awarded numerous prizes and honors for his works. He passed away in 2008, leaving a profound impact on the Palestinian and global literary communities. Despite his heavy burden, Darwish transformed the Palestinian experience into a universal one, exploring themes of loss, exile, justice, homeland dreams, and identity. His work has been deeply rooted in Palestinian life, highlighting its losses, denouncing tormentors, celebrating perseverance, and envisioning its future. His legacy continues to inspire generations to seek peace, justice, and understanding through the power of words.
[1] https://www.arabicnadwah.com/arabicpoetry/darwish-siege.htm
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ben Salem, Lobna. “Humanizing the Enemy: Transcending Victimhood Narratives in Mahmoud Darwish’s and Yehuda Amichai’s Poetry.” DocsLib.Org, docslib.org/doc/2129167/humanizing-the-enemy-transcending-victimhood-narratives-in-mahmoud-darwish-s-and-yehuda-amichai-s-poetry. Accessed 11 May 2024.
[4] https://bombmagazine.org/articles/2002/10/01/mahmoud-darwish/
[5] Ibid.
[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahmoud_Darwish
[7] Sengupta, S. Palestinian Resistance – Poetry of Mahmoud Darwish, https://www.academia.edu/37544879/Palestinian_Resistance_Poetry_of_Mahmoud_Darwish
[8] Poemotopia Editors, Identity Card, https://poemotopia.com/mahmoud-darwish/identity-card/
[9] Edward Said and Mahmoud Darwish: A Poetic Friendship. https://scenenow.com/artsandculture/edward-said-and-mahmoud-darwish-a-poetic-friendship.
[10] Ibid
[11] Ibid
[12] https://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/22/books/a-poet-s-palestine-as-a-metaphor.html
[13] Edward Said and Mahmoud Darwish: A Poetic Friendship. https://scenenow.com/artsandculture/edward-said-and-mahmoud-darwish-a-poetic-friendship.
[14] Ibid.
About the Author:
Famidah Dirampaten is the Assistant Editor for the World HIjab Day Organization. She is also a candidate for the Master of Arts in Religious Studies with concentrations in Interfaith Peace Building and Nonprofit Leadership at the Unification Theological Seminary in New York. She is currently based in Doha, Qatar. Instagram@famidz
