In Order For Me To Write Poetry That Isn’t Political I Must Listen To The Birds And In Order To Hear

The occupation of Palestine documented in photographs

Proclamation of Marshall Law in Jerusalem by General Allenby. 1917

British forces enter Jerusalem, December 9, 1917 with Brig. Gen. Watson and Col. Bailey at the Jaffa Gate.

British occupying army in Jerusalem. 1929

Palestinian leaders meet to discuss the 1929 revolt against British occupation. 1929

Mufti of Jerusalem and Palestinian leaders at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem. 1921–1937

Palestinian delegation in London to demand Palestinian independence. 1929

Palestinian citizens searched during the uprising of August 23 to 31 at Jaffa Gate. 1929

Palestinian women’s delegation demonstrating against British policies outside of the high commissioner’s residency. 1929

Palestinians demonstrating against the occupying British army at Jaffa Gate. 1933

Palestinians protesting British occupation, Jerusalem. 1933

Palestinians at Abou Ghosh take oath of allegiance to protest British occupation and reject Zionist immigration. 1936

Fire scorched the Armenian Quarter in the old City. 1936

British occupation soldiers stand witness to their destruction in the City of Jenin. 1938

Jenin after British occupying soldiers destroyed a quarter of the city with dynamite. 1938

Palestinians lined up by British occupying police for identity card check. 1939

Australian soldiers marching down Jaffa Road. 1940–1946

British military recruits parade across Jaffa Gate. 1941

Photographs published by: https://www.palestinephotoproject.org/Gallery-Folder/Occupation-and-Resistence/i-3bPjRwR

"I deliberately read the writings of the miserable, the missing, and those whose hearts are broken, I read their cries to make me cry with them. My alphabet no longer accommodates this huge amount of sadness, so I started looking for someone to share it with me. It is a disaster to search for yourself in the writings of others, a disaster to lose yourself to this extent."

-unknown

Departure to the shores of dreams

I threw all my equipment into your hands, and I relieved my horse from the worries of the road, and I fled from the ravages of the storms when the departure was long. The voice of my solitude died, and the echoes of my silence responded in the hills, on the plains, and at the valley’s stream, I saw the autumn leaves being dragged behind them by the tail of the calm breeze, so I left all my poems in the desert and buried my songs among its sands.

-Muhammad Al-Thubaiti

September

To sit by candlelight, To buy a new book, To start over, to go for a walk, to fall in love, to meet.. the most beautiful month.

🖊️ Esran Ersan

🎨 Muraoka Kimio

Between you and me

Between you and me there are summer nights, a melody that I secretly dedicate to you, a series of flirtatious poems and the darkness of the night. Between you and me there are endless streets and roads full of strangers Between you and me there are night stars, winter storms, autumn winds, and spring flowers Between you and me there is the nostalgia of September, The crushes of December and The January drunkards. There are whispers and shadows between us And stories that can't be told with words

Between you and me, are the poisoned arrows of lovers.

The Extraterrestrials of Vrillon

The recording of the voice of Vrillon

Refers to a mysterious broadcast interruption that occurred on November 26, 1977, in southern England. At around 5:10 PM, during a news program on Southern Television, a strange voice—metallic and echoing—took over the airwaves for nearly six minutes. The entity identified itself as "Vrillon, a representative of the Ashtar Galactic Command"—an alleged extraterrestrial being.

The message was solemn and haunting, warning humanity to abandon its weapons and live in peace, lest we "destroy your world" before entering the "Age of Aquarius."

Transcript of the Vrillon Message:

"This is the voice of Vrillon, a representative of the Ashtar Galactic Command, speaking to you. For many years you have seen us as lights in the skies. We speak to you now in peace and wisdom as we have done to your brothers and sisters all over this, your planet Earth. We come to warn you of the destiny of your race and your world so that you may communicate to your fellow beings the course you must take to avoid the disaster which threatens your world, and the beings on our worlds around you. This is in order that you may share in the great awakening, as the planet passes into the New Age of Aquarius. The New Age can be a time of great peace and evolution for your race, but only if your rulers are made aware of the evil forces that can overshadow their judgments. Be still now and listen, for your chance may not come again. All your weapons of evil must be removed. The time for conflict is now past and the race of which you are a part may proceed to the higher stages of its evolution if you show yourselves worthy to do this. You have but a short time to learn to live together in peace and goodwill. Small groups all over the planet are learning this, and exist to pass on the light of the dawning New Age to you all. You are free to accept or reject their teachings, but only those who learn to live in peace will pass to the higher realms of spiritual evolution. Hear now the voice of Vrillon, a representative of the Ashtar Galactic Command, speaking to you. Be aware also that there are many false prophets and guides operating in your world. They will suck your energy from you—the energy you call money—and will put it to evil ends and give you worthless dross in return. Your inner divine self will protect you from this. You must learn to be sensitive to the voice within that can tell you what is truth, and what is confusion, chaos and untruth. Learn to listen to the voice of truth which is within you and you will lead yourselves onto the path of evolution. This is our message to our dear friends. We have watched you growing for many years as you too have watched our lights in your skies. You know now that we are here, and that there are more beings on and around your Earth than your scientists admit. We are deeply concerned about you and your path towards the light and will do all we can to help you. Have no fear, seek only to know yourselves, and live in harmony with the ways of your planet Earth. We of the Ashtar Galactic Command thank you for your attention. We are now leaving the plane of your existence. May you be blessed by the supreme love and truth of the cosmos."

—Vrillon, November 26, 1977

👽 The Appearance of Ashtar (Commander of the Galactic Fleet)

The most common depictions of Ashtar Sheran, often said to be Vrillon’s superior or perhaps his other name, show him as a being of radiant, almost angelic presence:

Tall and Regal – Usually standing around 7 feet tall.

Humanoid Form – He appears very human, sometimes almost indistinguishable from us.

Golden Hair – Flowing and shining like solar rays, often shoulder-length.

Blue or Violet Eyes – Piercing and serene, as if holding the gaze of galaxies.

Glowing Aura – Described as bathed in a soft white or bluish light, often dressed in silvery or white robes with golden insignias.

Uniformed Appearance – At times, he's shown in a form-fitting "space uniform" with insignias denoting his command over the Ashtar Galactic Fleet.

Jerusalem

I wept until my tears were dry I prayed until the candles flickered I knelt until the floor creaked I asked about Mohammed and Christ Oh Jerusalem, the fragrance of prophets The shortest path between earth and sky Oh Jerusalem, the citadel of laws A beautiful child with fingers charred and downcast eyes You are the shady oasis passed by the Prophet Your streets are melancholy Your minarets are mourning You, the young maiden dressed in black Oh Jerusalem, the city of sorrow A big tear wandering in the eye Who will halt the aggression On you, the pearl of religions? Who will wash your bloody walls? Who will safeguard the Bible? Who will rescue the Quran? Who will save Christ? Who will save man? Oh Jerusalem my town Oh Jerusalem my love Tomorrow the lemon trees will blossom And the olive trees will rejoice Your eyes will dance The migrant pigeons will return To your sacred roofs And your children will play again And fathers and sons will meet On your rosy hills My town The town of peace and olives.

-Nizar Qabbani

When parting…

On the first night,

You will feel that this night will not pass,

and that the night is unusually dark,

Silence has become an unbearable noise,

your bed is a cemetery, your cover is a shroud,

your heart is moaning, your mind is struggling,

and your tears are a flame,

The noises on the street will piss you off, your brother's jokes will piss you off, your mother's insistence will agitate you, the food is tasteless, and the water is salty, you will notice how small your room is, and that these four walls are not enough to accommodate all this mess...I mean the one inside you. You will feel that you are all alone.

My advise

Do not resort to anyone!

On the first night specifically, don’t reach out to anyone. and don’t sleep early, this is where the surrender begins. don‘t say " I'm fine " when you're broken, and stop yourself from looking into old messages, they don’t mean anything. Don't listen to any songs, because that's a trap! And don‘t take any medicine because that kind of pain cannot be numbed. feel and live your pain in silence, alone in a room or by the sea.

Most importantly…by yourself.

- Farid Emara