If I Must Die 🪁

If I must die,

you must live

to tell my story

to sell my things

to buy a piece of cloth

and some strings,

(make it white with a long tail)

so that a child, somewhere in Gaza

while looking heaven in the eye

awaiting his dad who left in a blaze —

and bid no one farewell

not even to his flesh

not even to himself —

sees the kite, my kite you made, flying up above,

and thinks for a moment an angel is there

bringing back love.

If I must die

let it bring hope,

let it be a story.

✍🏾 Refaat Alareer, Palestinian writer, poet, professor and activist (1979-2023)

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First published on LinkedIn on 4 October 2024:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/i-must-die-jen-ang-nm1ae/