With all of the violence in Gaza, this interview with Suheir Hammad from Grit TV in 2009 is on point. I posted poems from Suheir Hammad previously, in particular, What I Will, a poem of non-violent defiance in the face of aggression and war. She discusses her film "Salt of This Sea" which is an illuminating film that features a scene in which Hammad's character confronts an Israeli woman who is now living in the home formerly occupied by Hammad's character's grandfather. The scene illustrates the intense competing narratives from both sides. Themes of displacement, home, occupation, history, dealing with the present, theft, ownership, all figure in the short clip in the interview. She shares that both her and Shelley, the Israeli actress, felt so many conflicting emotions as Israeli, Palestinians, and American and women. Each were friends off screen and were able to engage in dialogue and keep up constructive real life friendships. Relevant for the current conflict engulfing the region as Hamas lobs bombs at Israel and Israel responds forcefully and inflicting some damage to innocents. So complicated and sad.
She also shares some of her poems from her book Breaking Poems. The powerful line always broken, always lost is also featured.
She also shares some of her poems from her book Breaking Poems. The powerful line always broken, always lost is also featured.
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