If I Must Die
- Refaat Alareer

If I must die,
you must live
to tell my story
to sell my things
to buy a piece of cloth
and some strings,
(make it white with a long tail)
so that a child, somewhere in Gaza
while looking heaven in the eye
awaiting his dad who left in a blaze —
and bid no one farewell
not even to his flesh
not even to himself —
sees the kite, my kite you made, flying up above,
and thinks for a moment an angel is there
bringing back love.
If I must die
let it bring hope,
let it be a story.

Palestinian poet, writer, activist and educator, Refaat Alareer, was murdered in December 2023 after being targeted by the Israeli Occupation for a significant period of time. Those who commit atrocities, and try to do so undercover, see creativity as a threat.