With hate crimes targeting the Muslim community on the rise, many people listening to the news about violence affecting Palestinians may feel a sense of helplessness, not knowing how to help or talk about their feelings with friends and family. On November 5th, Build Coffee hosted a poetry workshop for students that featured the works of Palestinian poets, facilitated by Stuti Sharma, Isra Rahman, and Shawnee Dez. Build Coffee is a coffee and bookshop located on the South Side between the Hyde Park and Woodlawn neighborhoods. Children, parents, and other community members attended to support and write poems.
Power 2 the people
Act with love
Love is radical
Each life matters
Stand strong
Together
In our lifetime
Never give up
Each person will return
by Malak A., Kindergarten
Patience from Allah
Always be kind
Long live Palestine
Each life matters
Stand up for yourself
Together we fight
Inshallah
Never give up
Everybody matters
by Huda A., 2nd grade
Press forward
Always be strong
Love more
Everyone is free
Still standing
Through everything
I see you
Never give up
Everyone should be safe
by Elsie P., 3rd grade, Bronzeville Classical
Scrambled eggs-not crispy-just a tiny squishy
My children-laid soft-little loafs
Any bread to toast—3 min boil at most
Better to smoke, window, wind blown
Some greens (hidden deep) in a berry frozen drink
two cups each if were lucky
The record plays, mirrors the day ahead
on beat, on vibe, on point, on key
catchy the break, the fast
by Saleem P, inspired by Noor Hindi’s “A home”
love love love love
Today is Sunday, so that mean time, at least a little.
It means that some families get to be just that
That we’ve worked enough and traveled
To gather Sunday’s ingredients afar
To gather ourselves afar.
To taste, in joy, to be with each other
If only for some time.
At least a little.
by anonymous poet, inspired by Noor Hindi’s “A home”
Earth is Ringing
A friend the other day told me about what it took
To make a home, specifically an adobe home
The dirt is not called dirt, respectively
It’s called Earth
It’s called Homeland
The Earth is ringing
The Earth Has Become Shoddy, through the glass, shattering
Charred, reddened
Sonic reverberations
The Earth is ringing
The Earth is ringing
The Earth is ringing
by Kelechi A, inspired by Noor Hindi’s “A home”
by August P., 3rd grade, Bronzeville Classical
Photo: Malak A., Huda A., and Isra Rahan
Photo: Malak A.
Photo: Elsie P. and August P.
Photo: Stuti Sharma, Shawnee Dez, and Isra Rahman
