The Poetry Stash: 01Mar2024

[...] by Fady Joudah

Today’s poem is “[…]” by Fady Joudah from the collection […]. The book is available for purchase here.

[…] by Fady Joudah

And out of nowhere a girl receives an ovation

from her rescuers,
all men
on their knees and bellies

clearing the man-made rubble
with their bare hands,
disfigured by dust
into ghosts.

All disasters are natural
including this one
because humans are natural.

The rescuers tell her
she’s incredible, powerful,
and for a split second, before the weight

of her family’s disappearance
sinks her, she smiles,

like a child
who lived for seven years above ground
receiving praise.

Prompts:

1.	Begin with “and out of nowhere…”
2.	Begin with “all disasters are…”
3.	Write a draft that explores surviving trauma from the perspective of an adult and then from the perspective of a child.
4.	What does it mean to be rescued? Who are the rescuers?

5. Photo by Mohammed Soufy. Use this image as a prompt for writing.

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