Arwa Abu Haikal of Hebron

I GREW up in Tel Rumeida in Hebron, where we always had to fight settlers’ plans for occupying our land. Since September we faced the most difficult time of my life; we faced lots of killing in our area.

On September 22 a young girl was shot at the checkpoint between Tel Rumeida and Shehada Street. Every day after this, on my way to work, I was walking over the bloodstain of that girl. Every time I passed I felt there was something suffocating me.

September 30 was a gloomy day — it looked like it would rain. I looked at the sky, saying a prayer beginning “I wish some heavy rain to wash the bloodstain.” That was the start of this poem:

Blood stain
I wish some heavy rain
to wash the blood stain;
to rest and calm my fears
and Tel Rumeida’s pain.
My dream is peace and justice
and ending that chain
of murdering, killing, shooting.
Can you tell me what we gain?
Hatred breeds more hatred.
Love can end the pain.
I dream of sunshine coming to meet the rain;
to build that love around despite what has remained.
Do you know what has remained ?
Barriers, borders, walls;
killing, shooting and drones.
And that dream again
occupying my brain;
the dream of heavy rain
washing the blood stain;
ending occupation
and feeling life again.