Palestine A-Z: An Illustrated Poem
2024
2024
Palestine A-Z: An Illustrated Poem envisions Mosab Abu Toha’s poem “Palestine A-Z” as an illustrated introduction to revolutionary will in Palestine. The poem sketches Palestine through the 26 letters of the English alphabet, where each letter presents notes, reflections, memories, lamentations, and questions on uprooting, exile, and home. The community of artists drawn together to produce these cards experiences the poem from diverse and varying perspectives. Those of us with family history from Palestine connect intimately with the poem’s existential meditations on sumud. Those of us descended from dislocations produced by state violence elsewhere in the world recognize the poem’s critique of borders, militarization, apartheid, and genocide. Those of us who recently joined the struggle for Palestine study the poem as testament to life and death in occupied Palestine. None of us have been to Palestine. All of us are activated in transnational anti-colonial work demonstrated here on the occupied territories that are home to xʷməθkʷəy̓əm Nation, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw Nation, and səlilwətaɬ Nation.
Illustrations by community of artists during a reading of the poem March, 2024. Zine design by Jean Chisholm and Gabe Wong, printed on risograph. Introduction written by Sue Shon.
We are indebted to Mosab Abu Toha who inspired this project and are grateful to his powerful work as writer, educator, and librarian.
Illustrations by community of artists during a reading of the poem March, 2024. Zine design by Jean Chisholm and Gabe Wong, printed on risograph. Introduction written by Sue Shon.
We are indebted to Mosab Abu Toha who inspired this project and are grateful to his powerful work as writer, educator, and librarian.
