(In 1995, Osama ElBorno, the author’s father, was shot in the head by an Israeli soldier on the third day of Eid, while visiting a friend in Gaza. His last words were, “Is everyone okay?” This poem is to commemorate his memory.)

By Nour ElBorno – Gaza

H owling winds don’t shake me a bit:
A fter all this time, I could never forget.
P lease remember him as I fade
P ast all the memories I made;
Y onder we shall meet – where the world is in peace.

E ndings are how we begin
I nside the mysteries of a Sun –
D aughter, in my case:

D ear one, 21 years ago, was shot,
A nd his heart heard no more, stopped:
D istances created in space, in time.
!

M other, alone, was left to fight;
O ver 3 sisters to watch.
M other, alone, faced the world – and won.

I n her arms the world seemed so small,
S o, I felt, it was.

F earless when she smiled;
I deal when she spoke;
N ever far when needed;
E ver warm when daylight was cold.
:

S o dark when you left sunrays seemed
A nd so long seconds were as mother grieved.
F ine, they said time can heal;
E ven if it does – with us it thickened the pains and loss.

Hhho! Dear passenger of time,

C ome, nearer.
L isten, Closer:
O pen your soul to remember:
S ons and fathers and daughters and mothers
E ver remain together – despite death; despite murder.

For Family bonds are always stronger,
Spirits of the dead linger.

– Nour ElBorno is a published poet based in Gaza. She contributed this poem to PalestineChronicle.com.