Celebrating Eid Al Fitr Through Poetry

The fast of Ramadan ends next week. Here in Israel, lights are strung up all over the cities of Jerusalem, Haifa, Akko, Jaffa, and many smaller towns and villages. Festive lanterns with beautiful designs in a variety of colors throw their light around. It is a season of heightened charity and prayer as well.

To mark the Eid Al Fitr holiday, we read poems by Sumaiya El-Sousy.

Sumaiya El-Sousy was born in Gaza City and works in a research center in Gaza. She’s published multiple collections of poetry.

Text:

“Voices” by Sumaiya El-Sousy, translated by Atef Abu-Seif, with Nathalie Handal, in The Poetry of Arab Women. A Contemporary Anthology. Ed. Nathalie Handal. Interlink Books, 2001.

“The City” by Sumaiya El-Sousy, in “The Angel of History and the Ghetto of Gaza by Leonard Schwartz in Counterpunch, June 15, 2009.

Music:

Le Trio Joubran – Majâz; Masar