This poem appeared in the “THIS MOMENT” section of our Gaza! Gaza! Gaza! issue, produced together with Majalla 28.
When a Missile Lands
By Yahya Ashour
Translated by Khaled Rajeh
When a missile lands
by my house
I hope
that in its haste
it can see
that I have long braced myself
in a grave
dug by fear
and not a bed
When the missile lands
I say, finally, death has come
but death, to my luck
shuns the ones most ready to die.
عندما يسقطُ صاروخٌ
عندما يسقطُ صاروخٌ قرب بيتي
أتمنّى رغم عجلته غير المبرّرة لو يُلاحظ
أنّني منكمشٌ منذ زمن
في قبرٍ حفره الخوف لا في سرير
عندما يسقطُ الصاروخ
أقولُ أخيرًا سأموت
لكنّه الموتُ لغرابةِ حظّي
لا يعجبه الموتى الجاهزون
Yahya Ashour is a Palestinian poet and author from Gaza. He has authored a children’s book, winner of the 2022 ACBPF award, and a collection of poetry. His poems and award-winning stories have been anthologized and appeared in newspapers and magazines in Palestine and internationally, in Arabic and translation. He has taught creative writing and literacy skills to both children and adults at various community organizations in Gaza.
Khaled Rajeh is a writer and literary translator from Baakleen, Lebanon.