In Praise of Fairuz
While on my walk The soft, tender voice of Fairuz was borne to me on the breeze As if coming from an ethereal howdah: “One day we shall return to our neighborhood….” Fairuz’s voice, in…
Category: Palestine
Sleepless (Life under Occupation/12)
Dear Carla, It’s 5 a.m. and I’ve been up 24 hours We visited a family yesterday The first two hours She beheld her brother Who was home after two years in prison: “How much weight…
Alice Walker to Hedy Epstein
Chris Wallach is reading Alice Walker’s latest book of poetry, The World Will Follow Joy: Turning Madness into Flowers (New Poems), and found this poem to Hedy.
What I Wrote the Night before You Spoke (Gratitude Journal/8)
Suhad, I thank you even before you speak tomorrow because I know you’ll be passionate I know you’ll tell your truths I know you will be fierce and charming I know you will honor your…
The Task of Our Lifetime
The ideological position common to nearly everyone in the system is that America is best, its ideals perfect, its history spotless, its actions and society at the highest levels of human achievement and greatness. To…
Rant/1 (Welcome to Palestine/2)
From an internet cafe Somewhere on the outskirts of Ramallah 80 degrees and sunny outside Dear Layla So in your last email (Which I’ve read four times as of this morning) You wanted to know…
A Response to Dear Layla Welcome to Palestine
I received this generous message recently from Sarah Nash, who is a sophomore at SLU. Mark, I’m not even sure where to begin this email! I guess I could start with a huge THANK YOU….
You’re the Beautiful Resistance
There’s something about your sharing with me Tears usually are the result Not sadness as in Ach But gratitude as in Ah I’ve known you nine years plus So, of course, we inter-are Muriel Ruykeyser:…
Mark Chmiel is Made of Non-Mark Chmiel Elements
Thich Nhat Hanh teaches out of the Buddhist tradition: There is no separate self capable of existing on its own One thing is connected to so much else The sheet of paper is made of…
What You Won’t Read in USA Today
Yesterday I noticed a headline from USA Today: “In Israel, staying alert for terror is a way of life” The article was one in a series On the Boston Marathon explosions Don’t expect anytime soon…