O Gate of God, I stand before you
without power,
without luxury,
without Arabs,
without wood
to warm me when I shiver from the cold
They want me bare of flesh, without fat, without bone to stand upon soulless.
With no hand to reach for stone, to gather and build.
And my water, above it a hand, while this mouth barely sips enough to survive.
And my voice, smothered beneath the voice of falsehood.
My shadow covered beneath their dark shadow.
And my body is surrounded by fire.
Behind me, the sea, O Lord,
And all the land is poisoned,
Where then shall I turn?
I came to You in turmoil praying.
I came to You confessing, complaining
For my Arab brothers know no one but the West, and never glorify their roots.
Nor acknowledge a homeland
That would preserve their honor.
A homeland that would guide them when lost,
And save them when weak.
I came to You, my Lord,
How can justice turn away?
I came to You, O God,
For You are Justice itself.
How can justice fade, when You alone are Just?
Adel Ramadi
يريدونني بلا لحم
يا باب الله أنا أقفُ
بلا جاهٍ
بلا ترفٍ
بلا عربٍ
بلا حطبٍ
يدفئني إذا من بردي أرتجفُ
يريدوني بلا لحمٍ
بلا شحمٍ
بلا عظمٍ
به أقف
بلا كفٍ لأمدده على حجرٍ فأغترفُ
ومائي فوقه كفٌ وهذا الفاه يرتشفُ
وصوتي فوقه صوتٌ
وظلي فوقه ظلٌ
وجسدي حوله نارٌ
وخلفي البحر يا ربي
وكل البر مسمومٌ
فأين هناك أنصرفُ
أتيت إليك معتصفُ
أتيت إليك أعترفُ
على عربٍ سوى الأغراب ما عرفوا
وما اعترفوا على وطنٍ
يحفظ فيهم الشرفُ
ويهديهم إذا ضلوا
وينقذهم إذا ضعفوا
أتيت إليك يا ربي
فكيف العدل ينصرفُ
أتيت إليك يا الله
لأنك العدل، فكيف العدل يغيب وأنت العادل
عادل الرمادي
Adel Ramadi, 28 years old, is a Palestinian writer and poet from Gaza City, Al-Zaytoun neighborhood. He has written and published three literary works during the war:
- Ramadi(Poetry collection)
- Alf Taghiyah wa Madinah “A Thousand Tyrants and a City” (Poetry collection)
- Tahta Ta’thir Al-Hayat “Under the Influence of Life”.
His works have been published in Egypt, despite the ongoing bombardment, starvation, and attempts at erasure in Gaza. He has participated in dozens of poetry evenings and has appeared as a poet and writer on various TV channels and radio stations. He has additional works, written during the war, that have not yet been published due to the lack of opportunities under the continuing conflict, which suppresses artistic talents.
