Who Cares About the Middle East?
Poems for Reflection and Conviction
Foreword by Mitri Raheb
Imprint: Resource Publications
96 Pages, 5.50 x 8.50 x 0.19 in
- Paperback
- 9781666704600
- Published: August 2021
$14.00 / £12.00 / AU$22.00
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The Israeli occupation of Palestinian land has lasted for decades in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The long-lasting nature of the occupation and its accompanying injustices and often violence, along with the expanding of Israeli settlements on Palestinian land, have made it an ongoing challenge of diplomacy and humiliation for the Palestinians. The poems in this book address some of the difficult challenges facing Palestinians, such as displaced persons, neighbor love, anti-Semitism, apartheid, and children's PTSD. While the poems make no claims of lasting solutions, they emphasize that the beginning point is the realization that all human beings deserve respect from one another and that human dignity is the principle upon which all society must be based. Some of the poems address specific instances of violence and prejudice in the lives of Israelis and Palestinians and ask how we can move beyond them.
The poems are arranged in five sections addressing issues related to (1) Apartheid, (2) Children of Palestine, (3) Faith (the roles of three faiths--Jewish, Christian, Muslim), (4) Injustice in many forms, and (5) the possibilities of Peace and a one-state solution.
S T Kimbrough Jr. holds a PhD from Princeton Theological Seminary. He is currently a Research Fellow of the Center for Studies in the Wesleyan Tradition at Duke Divinity School in Durham, NC, and he has taught on leading faculties in the United States and abroad. He is author of many books published by Wipf and Stock including eight books of poetry.
“In this Orwellian era of indifference that empowers oppressors, caring as illustrated by authors like Kimbrough is a rare and welcome boost to the oppressed natives.”
—Mazin Qumsiyeh, Professor, Bethlehem University, Occupied Palestine
“These poems are short and to the point, ideal for use in meditation, in church gatherings, in political debates, and for social activism. My hope is that these poems will encourage reflection about justice, touch human hearts to reexamine their convictions, and trigger a just response to this just cause: Palestine.”
—Mitri Raheb, President, Dar al-Kalima University, College of Arts and Culture Bethlehem, Palestine
“Kimbrough, historian and biblical scholar, writes passionate, Middle East-focused poetry in the classical style. If you have ever felt exhausted by the vitriol that poisons so many conversations about Palestine-Israel, give yourself the gift of revisiting these vitally important, heart-wrenching issues through the lens of poetry. Grounded in faith, hope, and love, Kimbrough’s poems brim with humanity, social conscience, and a deep yearning for a just and lasting peace. Here are street-level scenes from Gaza and the West Bank, soul-convicting questions rising from human pain, and the indefatigable hopes of an oppressed people. Kimbrough’s poems, especially about the children caught in this tragedy, take us there, challenge us to reflect anew, and call forth from us a humane response to this searing, century-long crisis.”
—J. Mark Davidson, Executive Director, Voices for Justice in Palestine
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