Half Brothers

According to Islam, Christianity and Judaism, Arabs and Jews are half brothers. Abraham’s wife, Sarah could not have children and so Abraham asked Hagar, his servant to have his child. After the child was born, it turned out that Sarah is pregnant. Sarah’s son was believed to give birth to the Jews and Hagar’s son to Arabs.

Judaism is the oldest monotheistic religion.

Jesus’ parents were Palestinian Jews.

Arabs are known as one of the oldest poets and scientists ( especially known for Astronomy and Algebra).

A wise man tore us into being, brother.

You were the chosen,

I was a son of a slave.

Brother, I counted stars and travelled the earth for so long,

I invented the truths and carved poetry…father was proud.

But you, brother, you gave birth to Gods and afterlife,

Wrote sacred books and hummed prayers…

You were the prophet, the savior and THE son.

Children are cruel, they got jealous of the title

They weaved a cloth out of hatred and death

Hunger and silence embroidered bloody crimson collar.

Evil seeped through and tore the cloth somehow.

You stand tall and strong now, brother.

You decided to pass me your dress.

The dress bit right into the outside of my soul and yelled for demons,

Brother.

Your gift hurt mother’s eyes

Proud, you sewed the dress into my flesh with needles made of tears and a thread made of mercilessness.

Brother, can’t you see the dress does not fit?

Gods hear me bleed but they’re afraid

Of your anger.

Brother, lately the dress is getting wider.

Needles grew out of my dress, threads made of no tomorrow sniff looking for your skin.

Brother, they will find you.

But I won’t let you die alone.

Nadia Al-Ahmad, Palestinian
Amherst, Massachusetts