By Samah Sabawi

Violated
From
Inside and out
Seeking refuge
Amongst masked men
Guided by
Disjointed words
Breathing in
Rhetoric devoid of meaning
Processing
Meaning devoid of actions
Exhaling
Actions…
Random…
Devoid of strategies
Developing strategies
That fall on deaf ears
Whispering
Freedom
In a chorus of loud noise
Violated
From
Inside and out
The enemy is not at the gate
The enemy is in my house
The enemy is in my arms
The enemy is worming its way
Inside my mind
Spreading intellectual chaos
And grey morality
With proficient precision
The enemy
Assassinates every thought
That dares stand out with clarity
Only fools will be left standing
Applauding in confusion
Dancing to the rhythm of disjointed words
And meaningless rhetoric
The enemy is inside of me

– Samah Sabawi is a Palestinian writer from Gaza. She contributed this article to PalestineChronicle.com.