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Suheir Hammad - Def Jam Poetry

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Uploaded by on Mar 26, 2008

I uploaded this video because I think it's the best counterargument to the red haired woman in the Tyra Banks Show http://youtube.com/watch?v=TA9RGsmJLMs

-Suheir Hammad-
there have been no words.
i have not written one word.
no poetry in the ashes south of canal street.
no prose in the refrigerated trucks driving debris and dna.
not one word.

today is a week, and seven is of heavens, gods, science.
evident out my kitchen window is an abstract reality.
sky where once was steel.
smoke where once was flesh.

fire in the city air and i feared for my sister's life in a way
never
before. and then, and now, i fear for the rest of us.

first, please god, let it be a mistake, the pilot's heart failed,
the
plane's engine died.
then please god, let it be a nightmare, wake me now.
please god, after the second plane, please, don't let it be anyone
who looks like my brothers.

i do not know how bad a life has to break in order to kill.
i have never been so hungry that i willed hunger
i have never been so angry as to want to control a gun over a pen.
not really.
even as a woman, as a palestinian, as a broken human being.
never this broken.

more than ever, i believe there is no difference.
the most privileged nation, most americans do not know the
difference
between indians, afghanis, syrians, muslims, sikhs, hindus.
more than ever, there is no difference.

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News & Politics

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Top Comments

  • She just brought tears to my eyes. I wish all Americans were so enlightened.

  • She is a smart woman

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All Comments (301)

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  • I love this poem ...

  • @mellowkat01 How so?

  • amazing; enough said...!

  • @sloopedc me too

  • Wow

  • 16 people are shit

  • @Fozzeeeh Bro dont say stuff like that ..... be happy with the colour you are .... all you can do is spread love to people .....theres good and bad in all people all we can do is spread love because we are all brothers in humanity

  • This actually made me tear up a little bit :/. She is a good poet and it's one of the best poems I have ever herd :)

  • This is the best poem i've ever heard..

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