Things Carried

a poem of Palestinian songbirds

It was those with little else to carry

who carried the burden of occupation

to Lebanon

to the borders of Syria, Egypt, and Jordan

some of them possessed less than nothing

not even their own bodies

yet, 80 years later,

deep memories from Palestine,

anchored deep in their hearts, their homes,

carry the sounds of freedom.

For those forced to leave

the hymns of liberation ring true

behind every smell, breeze, experience

they hear the sounds of freedom

waiting to be called

waiting to recognized

To the Palestinian songbirds,

the promise of return

will soon lift and carry their burdens