Wrong Winds

by Ahmad Almallah

Ahmad Almallah’s third collection considers the impossible task of being a Palestinian in the world today.

When genocide is the question, can the answer be anything but wrong? In Wrong Winds, written during the first months of Israel’s genocidal assault on Gaza, Palestinian-American poet Ahmad Almallah converses with the screams echoing throughout the West. Traversing European cities, Almallah encounters the impossibility of being a Palestinian, left alone in a world full of sympathizers and enemies. Through a continuous unsettling of words and places, considering the broken voices of Western poetry (Eliot, Lorca, Celan among others), the poems in Wrong Winds discover the world again and form an impossible dialogue with the dead and dying.

Genres: Poetry, Adult

70 pages, Paperback

Published March 18, 2025

Reviews

[sami (semi-hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"from the river i look to see and imagine the dark waters of that sea, where i've never been."

3.5 stars 'wrong winds' by ahmad almallah is a lyrical treasure trove of poetry by a man who had to helplessly witness the destruction of his homeland. it was such a beautiful collection to read, and i say this as a person who avoids poetry like the plague. i will definitely be revisiting certain poems, as some deeply deeply resonated with me. while every poem did not strike the same chord, they were all over-all pretty lovely to read. i feel like a few of them slipped through my mind, but if you appreciate intriguing spatial arrangements and well written poetry, this book might be just what you're looking for!

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

[Sarah Cavar · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5. Ahmad Almallah constructs a challenging, richly historical and deeply rewarding collection as he crosses Europe’s sites of genocide and archives of barely-hidden despair. I suppose it’s easy to call a book on Palestine timely in this long moment of genocide, but this particular book feels timely not only in its content, but also in its sharp and fragmented form. I think poetry now more than ever needs sharp edges. Wrong Winds certainly has them.

[Patile · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I sometimes struggle with poetry, but I was pleasantly surprised at how I was able to follow the poems in this collection about the Palestinian experience and Palestine. I was deeply moved by what I read. That said, I did struggle at times to follow and understand what was being said, but I can acknowledge that it is probably due to my own shortcomings when it comes to poetry.

I would recommend this to anyone who loves poetry and is looking to get to know more about Palestine and Palestinians via a different medium.

[charlotte, · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3.5)

[Kamilė | cobwebshelves · Rating 4 out of 5]

"where do they find pawns
to sacrifice themselves, one square
at a time, to accept the smaller fates,
while kings and queens huddle
backstage, twirling their fingers,
expecting glory to meet them halfway?"

almallah's poetry collection is a raw experience of a palestinian man, forced to see his homeland destroyed and slaughtered from afar. it's a rumination of the influence that western colonialism had on the modern-day world, on the very genocide in play.

the works seem to be split into two halves—some more personal, emotional, speaking of palestine and gaza overtly. of the shared pain and grief, of a life lost and life that cannot be recovered. the other half feels more of a meditation on the work of almallah's peers and authors whose works he's admired over the years. i was particularly drawn to the poems discussing the arabic influence in spain, "some verses for the depressed rebel" and "poet in andalusia/andalusia in the poet", and they've piqued my interest to look more into this chapter of history that i've only superficially learned of.

"wrong winds" is a beautiful play of words and languages, deeply loving and grieving in equal parts.

thanks to netgalley and fonograf editions for the arc. "wrong winds" by ahmad almallah will be released on the 18th of march.

[Patrick Fassnacht · Rating 3 out of 5]

In full disclosure, this reader has not been a huge purveyor of poetry in general. Until recent years, only dabbling in some mainstream masters, I began to move into offbeat jaunts from more personal reflections.
Growing in my taste and range-- and appreciation-- of more and more collections and poets, I was 'excited' to see Wrong Winds and the overview. Reading a number of things and people around similar reflections and current realities, I was appreciative to have been given the opportunity to obtain this one.
Almallah's writings here are captivating.
Taking the reader through some strong reflections, he has shared a strong piece of his life's takeaways. Many highlighted moments that I will look back on to reread. Many word turns that he creatively put to paper. For someone still trying to learn more about life in this tragic world/historic/personal reality, there were a good number of really weighty and emotive thoughts that he so poignantly put forth for us.
Saying that, I wish that he had taken us farther. Deeper. Immersed us more intimately. Each time that I came up for a pause, I found myself wanting something more profound.. more penetrating... more... .. . .. MORE. Something less.. shallow?

Thank you to Edelweiss for the DRC. Greatly appreciated.

All in all, a good path to have followed him on. Still seeking more.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 ⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley, Fonograf Editions, & Ahmad Almallah for sending me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What a beautiful collection of poems. It’s always interesting to read poetry from people who are living such different lives than you are because it’s such a deeply personal medium. Even something as simple as the way a poem is formatted says so much about the emotions the author was feeling when they wrote it. Line breaks and white space add to the sense of emptiness and helplessness. Is it chaotic? Yes, that’s the point.

[Books Amongst Friends · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection is both heart-wrenching and poignant. It’s a saddening look at the emotional toll of losing one’s homeland—and all the things that make up a homeland: the people, the spirit, the history, even the physical embodiment of place. I think this book has a lot of great moments, and it’s definitely a collection I’m glad to have on my shelf.

I’ve really been enjoying reading more essays and poetry collections that capture the very real and personal experiences of Palestinian people, written by Palestinian authors. This is absolutely one I think is worth reading and sitting with.

Thank You to NetGalley and Fonograf Editions for this egalley.

[Erika Sarutobi · Rating 4 out of 5]

RTC

[Radwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

this already helps me in realizing my two of my goals: reading more by Palestinians and about palestine, and also read more poetry. this wasn't my favorite poetry collection, but I'm glad I read it.

[Annaliese · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poems worth contemplating, with rich and relevant subject matter. I found the longer-lined poems more compelling; poems with unnecessary/frequent enjambment and line breaks are not necessarily my taste. I wished for something deeper in the content of the poems since much of the time the structure did not make a meaningful impact on me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Fonograf Editions for the ARC.

[Iara Moure · Rating 3 out of 5]

El poemario Wrong Winds de Ahmad Almallah parte de una intención clara y noble: explorar temas universales como el desarraigo, la identidad y el peso emocional de las transiciones. Sin embargo, aunque la premisa es prometedora, la obra no termina de alcanzar la profundidad esperada.
La escritura, aunque cuidadosamente construida, a menudo parece atrapada en un vaivén entre imágenes sugerentes y reflexiones que no logran desarrollarse del todo. Los poemas insinúan emociones y conceptos que podrían resonar profundamente, pero en lugar de profundizar en ellos, se quedan en la superficie. Esto deja la sensación de que Almallah quiere transmitir algo significativo, pero no termina de decirlo con claridad o contundencia.
Si bien el libro tiene momentos de belleza y honestidad, la narrativa general resulta algo etérea, dejando al lector con la impresión de que algo importante quedó por decir. La intención es loable, pero el resultado no logra consolidar un mensaje que perdure más allá de su lectura inmediata.
En definitiva, Wrong Winds es una obra que promete más de lo que entrega, quedándose en un limbo entre lo sugerente y lo inespecífico. Una lectura que, aunque tiene buenas intenciones, carece de la profundidad necesaria para marcar al lector de forma duradera.

[Ana Ćupurdija · Rating 3 out of 5]

"How can summer be in a place
that knows so much ash"

I was fairly excited to read this one, and I appreciate the topic.
It certainly left me with a lot of thoughts.

There are many both beautiful and heartbreaking sentiments and a great number of poems worth rereading.
I think one can appreciate the feeling of a poem, even if they don't necessarily understand everything that is happening.

This being said, this just didn't completely click for me - I love line breaks and formatting to be smartly placed, and with this one, I got a feeling that it was very chaotic, almost like the author just wanted to look artistic. I am sad that I feel like the emotions didn't completely transfer to me through these poems. I was constantly waiting for something deeper to hit me, and it never did, unfortunately.

However, there are still many beautiful motives throughout, and I appreciate the author's skill. I think this one just wasn't for me.

Thanks to the NetGalley, author, and publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Mairwen Minson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection was poignant and painful.


Thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC via NetGalley for an honest review.


Ok, I nearly had to take a break from this collection before I realized how Almallah was using language. The first half or so of the collection, I was a little worried that the text had gotten scrambled, but it is actually Almallah manipulating language as he works through the poems’ topics. The second half has much clearer text. I have to admit, the latter half did resonate more with me simply because I could follow along. The first half felt like puzzle pieces more than a conversation.
The poems cover many topics and influences from Lorca and Granada to Berlin to Palestine to T.S. Eliot. I liked the poems in conversation with other artists a good deal.
This is quite a sad-toned collection as Almallah writes on difficult, sad topics, but he does some interesting work with language and the meanings of words.

[hazel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC in exchange of my honest opinions.

Numbers, numbers, numbers: What the Gazans have been reduced to for years. This poetry collection is hauntingly beautiful and musical, somber but brave. Read the poems aloud, and you will appreciate them even more. Now and then, it loses its rhythm; nevertheless, those poems are not meant to be read once but carried with you for some time after you finish reading... and, I must add: This is such a beautiful, thought-out cover.

[E · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ahmad Almallah must be an incredibly intelligent person, because these poems were way too dense for me. I had a hard time finding meaning in them... Or even understanding them.

I'm sure this collection of poetry will be great for some, but it's just not for me.

[isra · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was lovely. If you are a spatially aware person who doesn’t mind a clever usage of space in poems, this collection may be for you. I enjoyed quite a bit of if and highlighted large swathes of the poems but as the collection continued, it collapsed in on itself just a touch. Would recommend!

Many, many thanks to Ahmad Almallah, Fonograf Editions, and Netgalley for this e-ARC.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Each poem captivates the reader in its own unique way. From the structure to the tone, each entry illicit raw emotion. Understanding the Palestinian experience through poetry was captivating, expressing life through imagery and realism.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

[isaac dwyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Almallah’s poems to Lorca and to Ketamine are absolute blockbusters. I had the pleasure of watching many of these poems read in person—and the love he has for language is so tangible in every utterance. A joy.

[Liz]

I have no idea how to talk about poetry - which is fundamentally the thing about poetry; if you could say it in prose, you would.
But the images here and poetry as a vehicle for brokenness...even though it fundamentally does not work for me, there are moments that stick.

[mons · Rating 4 out of 5]

free Palestine

[Ryan McGurk · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Can I swallow the scene
instead of framing it?"

I just read Najwan Darwish's 10 year collection, so this small collection would naturally be hard to follow up. In some ways it did, in other ways it didn't. Wrong Winds is written during the Gaza genocide. The dedication is to Gaza, whose people have endured the worst of trials and suffering the human experience can offer. I believe Ahmad Almallah does justice to the feeling of watching such horror unfold. It really isn't a head-on collision with flying body parts or their murderers, but a slow, creeping confluence, as if blown by the wrong winds; saying this is life as we know it now. Ending with the very unique diaries about Ketamine therapy for depression is reflective of how sort of unexpected, yet relatable this collection is. There is a lot of the ineffable in Ahmad's poetry. I think it is best described as the liminal state between sleep and wake. His form and pauses can hit in very profound ways, although I did come across a poem or two that left me nonplussed and chuckling at their bizareness.

Favorites were:
A Note on Disaster
A Holy Land, Wasted [1, 4, 5, 6, 7]
My Tongue is Tied Up Today
Wrong Winds [0, 2, 5]
Some Verses For The Depressed Rebel
Love&Poem [fantastic]
A Poet in Andalusia/Andalusia in The Poet [probably my favorite]
The Afterlives of Ketamine Infusions

One I didn't like:
Wook
Before Gaza, A Fall
Wrong Winds [1]
A Holy Land, Wasted [8]
Pure&Love
Life&Dawn
Summer&Sweat