Poems for Palestine 

Beware of Santa today

Beware of Santa today,

My children!

The myths of him, marketed by merchants,

Have transformed them—

Capitalists -> Imperialists -> Fascists.

Who knows if the red

Is of the blood or the wine?

The gifts that are wrapped so neatly

Are the bombs thrown on Palestinian children.

Will Santa steal those bombs

And gift-wrap them for the ones 

who are hurling on children?

This is the time

When even Santa must take a stand,

Spread the word of genocide,

And, instead of the song of jingle bells,

Sing the song of resistance.

It’s time for Santa, too,

To let his red symbolize resistance.

This year, ask your Santa

To step out of the rut of capitalism.

Liberation

How can we be so naive?

Will there be a liberation without a rebellion?

Who are we to blame the rebellion

When we muted cries of deaths all these years

When did we become so imperialistic in nature

We ridicule the reaction but doeᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚsn’t dare to look a🌃t the act of oppression

What made us so blind?

We couldn’t see anything beyond a religion

An open air prison

Starvation to death

White Phosphorus to breath

An act of upholding what?

Dreams of freedom?

Or

Colonization, Imperialism and fascism?

Shame on us to be diplomatic 

Who gives a free pass to 🌳once an oppressed be an oppressor?

Bhavana Goparaju is a poet and an Independent filmmaker. Bhavana founded Jeevi Films based in India and USA, and its first production ‘In The Belly of a Tiger’ premiered at Berlinale 2024

Undying Embers

While my dream has been to walk

In Kinclaven's Bluebell Woods,

I find my steps tread only

Through the blood flood of Palestine.

Like the rain in spring,

Let every drop of spilled blood

Sprout revolution,

Spreading the fragrance of freedom.

Let every tear turn into arrows;

Beheaded heads rise as bombs—

Echoes of lives you ended,

But never the souls.

Let them shape-shift into clouds,

Shadowing the light of your destruction.

O’my dreams and wishes 

Shout out a warning bell! 

Call all the warriors of nature

Let’s go! 

Let’s go! 

Lend to the fight 

Lighting up the freight

Let’s go!