We Were Seeds: an anthology benefitting Palestine

by Chloe Maria Winstanley, Eman Alhaj Ali (foreword)

We Were Seeds is an anthology published to benefit the victims of the genocide in Palestine. The collection features work from 60 voices across the world wishing for peace for the land and its people.


*All sales will be donated to The Sameer Project & mutual aids on Gaza Funds.



Stop the genocide. What is the fault of our children? What is the fault of entire families buried under the rubble? We face fear, death, hunger, pain, and loss every day. Stop the war and let peace prevail in the entire world. What we are living through now, we do not wish upon anyone else-to experience the same pain.



-Dua'a Almadhoun

Genres: Poetry, Nonfiction

137 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 27, 2024

Reviews

[Libbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Genocide starts with playing God'

We were seeds is an anthology of 60+ poems and prose from a range of authors across the world with one purpose in mind - helping and benefitting the victims of the genocide in Palestine.

To call this an anthology a difficult read would be an understatement. I started crying on the first page and don't think I stopped.Through their work these authors show the reader a mere glimpse into the unspeakable horrors of everyday life of the people in Palestine. Through their fear, death, pain and loss. From the innocent children who had to grow up too fast, to the pregnant woman terrified of bringing a child into this world, to the babe born into a world that is too loud; bombs dropping all around them.

'Isn't nature so wonderfully cruel
To turn dysfunction into survival?'

Two poems that stuck out to me the most in this collection are 'A native watching Gaza' by Savannah Jade and 'Audience' by Devon Webb. Both challenge the western, and frankly white, perspective of watching history repeat itself again and again. Why do we condemn the past and call those atrocities yet stay ignorant to the same thing happening in our present? These and many others implore the reader to advocate for a free Palestine and not turn a blind eye until their freedoms are met.

'I ask you friends, please don't avert your eyes
Heed what ancient olive trees feel and see
And pray for the means to salve the wounds, the cries'

Hearing Palestinian voices as they fight for liberation is extremely important. We cannot turn a blind eye to the atrocities. All proceeds of this anthology on release will aid charities helping Palestine!

Thank you to NetGalley and Querencia press for providing an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Alexandria Piette · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a contributor to the WE WERE SEEDS anthology, I feel unabashedly honored to be featured in what is my most cherished publication to date. Palestinian resistance is a movement deeply entrenched in my values as individuals in Gaza and so forth face unspeakable horrors. Still, they are beautifully resilient and full of life, which I attempted to capture in my prose poem, ‘the endless’.

I hope that through reading this collection upon its release, you will unearth the importance of hearing Palestinian voices as they fight for liberation. Until their freedoms are met, we advocate for a free Palestine; an end to the apartheid.

Thank you, always, to Querencia Press and its team of editors for considering me in this work, as well as the phenomenal individuals who have offered their breathtaking and heartwrenching words. I cannot wait to display my copy proudly.

[Kristiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

An anthology created to raise funds to aid the Palestinian people, We Were Seeds is a searing collection of poetry from writers across the globe. The wide variety of perspectives - Jewish voices, indigenous voices, Palestinian voices, queer and trans voices, and that of the bystander/global community - all advocating for the liberation of Palestine are powerful to read. Through their words we imagine ourselves as more than simply helpless, watching genocide enacted through social media posts, television broadcasts, and headlines tainted by bias. Instead the reader feels both enlightened and buoyed by the anger, the fear, the hope, the love, the hurt, and the activism shared within this collection. Querencia Press has once again brought together an astounding group of writers who make you want to give, to write and create, to fight, and, most importantly, to hope.

[Jackie Paiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Querencia via NetGalley for providing me with this ARC! A beautiful, tragic, and yet still hopeful show of support for Palestine. I was moved by so many of the pieces included in this collection, and was in awe of the inclusivity of the anthology.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hate that this is a poetry collection that must exist but I love that it does exist. So many of the poets put into words exactly how it has felt watching the genocide of the Palestinian people through a screen and the callousness of the billions of people who see it and simply do not care or even worse, cheer it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Querencia Press for the eARC!

[Ayesha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the authors’ for an eARC.


This book was a harrowing brutal experience from page 1. It made me feel ashamed, heartbroken and utterly helpless. Beautifully done, I hope soon our Palestine gets liberated, and I hope this year we can successfully put an end to their misery.

[Megan Diedericks · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Only I was blessed to be able to fight
For their freedom with my pen and my voice
Not forced to do it with my flesh and my bones”
from My Sister by Ramona McCloskey —
These lines encompass what this anthology is all about for me: Writers coming together and using their pens to speak out against the genocide currently taking place in Palestine.

We Were Seeds is a heartbreaking read, with threads of hope still woven throughout. It's also a very necessary anthology, showcasing how important poetry (and all writing and art) is. For me, it also displays the kinder side of humanity—people still care and we'll still do what we can to help: through writing/art, spreading awareness, reading, donations (which all sales will be used for! Link at the end.)

“Bombs cannot drop, dropping is for tears and rain.
Bombs cannot fall, falling is for empires.”
from Insufficient Words for Gravity (The Occupation of Bombs) by Meredith MacLeod Davidson

I saw a review stating: “I hate that this is a poetry collection that must exist but I love that it does...” and I couldn't have said it better myself. Poetry like this helps people better understand things that they may never come into contact with themselves.

These are the pieces that stood out to me:
• Holy Land – Danielle Barr
• Tassels & Turmoil – Zehnab Hayat
• Notes to My Unborn Child – Nazaret Ranea
• The Hands of Gaza – Ramona McCloskey
• Labeled Arms – Meredith MacLeod Davidson
• Argon Sun – Halley Kunen
• My Sakura Memoir – Jiang Pu
• Etymology of a Watermelon – Yoda Olinyk
• A Stillborn Law – Savannah Jade
• of olives and watermelon in October – Sebastian Ellios
• The Horror in Their Eyes – Dr. Adam Yaghi

But really, this whole collection will stick with me.

I'm ending this review with a quote from Cover Letter for a Dystopian Future by Arani Acharjee:
“The young saplings who knew no sky, the raining shells have buried
them alive.
We wouldn't know if they slept through the lullaby.”

For more information on We Were Seeds and to get a copy (e-book & paperback): querenciapress.com/we-were-seeds

[Amara · Rating 5 out of 5]

We Were Seeds is a poetry collection by authors from all around the world centering on the Palestinian genocide.

"Poetry soars above silence, poetry shatters ignorance, poetry flies into the space that is hope and light."

This collection doesn't pull its punches when it comes to showing the reality of this crusade and the guilty parties. Its authors lay bare the harrowing plight of the Palestinians by painting vivid pictures of their suffering. These poems will haunt you, and that is entirely by design. Its authors plead you not to look away from these atrocities.

"Crimson stains the ground, stories untold,
Embers of yesterday's warmth turn cold."

We Were Seeds is a must read for every citizen on this planet. It is important for every single person to know what is going on in this part of the world we all share. As expected this is a heavy read, so make sure to check the trigger warnings and practice self care while reading. This collection features a wide variety of poems, which ensures there is a story that will resonate with each and every reader.

"'We are not conquered, nor will we bow,
We'll forge a path; we will rise somehow.'
So we take these steps, burdened yet bold,
In the grip of despair, we'll refuse to fold."

TW: violence, war, genocide, death, child death, loss of limbs, murder, decapitation, mutilation, rape, pedophilia, necrophilia, starvation, torture

Thank you Chloe Maria Winstanley and Querencia Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Gabriel Noel · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC given by NetGalley for Honest Review

An incredible collection of poetry and prose benefitting Palestine. This expertly curated collection goes above and beyond. Below are a list of my favorites:

"A Native Watching Gaza" by Savannah Jade
"i become a migrant" & "remedy" by Rowan Tate
"soundbites while waiting" by Crystal Rivera
"Gnaw" by Erika Gill
"appalachian gods / purple thumb summers" by Emma Loomis-Amrhein
"to be free" by Charlie Jasper
"Labeled Arms" & "She is digging herself out" by Meredith MacLeod Davidson
"of olives and watermelon in October" by Sebastian Ellios
"All That We Carry" & "Letters to Mahmoud" by Myfanwy Williams

[Rahaf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Querencia via Netgalley for providing me with this book. All opinions are my own.

This book is well written with different poets and poems. I would have given it a 5 stars, however, some of the poems were a little contradictory. As a palestinian, the poem “birthright” starts off be recognizing the state of israel, it goes on to acknowledge that it is built on the mass grave of the palestinian people yet it still ends with “It hits too close to home. I still haven’t been back to israel.”. This simply doesn’t not make sense to me, how do you write all of this then continue to call “israel” your home?

[Seher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Querencia Press for the chance to read and review We Were Seeds, a poetry anthology on the genocide in Gaza.

In a world where everyone seems to be afraid of offending zionists and white tears, it's great to see so many poets writing on Gaza and this book being published. I also respect that all the proceeds will be going to The Sameer Project & mutual aids on Gaza Funds. Everyone really did put their money where their mouth was and massive respect.

The poetry, given the subject matter, is sometimes harrowing. so know that going in. Of course, we have the privilege of looking away (or deactivating insta like Selena Gomez) when things get too intense.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

While poetry is not my go-to genre, I saw the cover and description of this anthology on NetGalley and immediately requested.

I found this collection to be beautiful, thought-provoking, haunting, and demanding to be heard. Art is a crucial, necessary factor in any resistance, and this anthology is a perfect example why.

Thank you to NetGalley, the editors, and authors for sending me a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Ashley : bostieslovebooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks Querencia Press and NetGalley for the gifted DRC book.

This beautiful and heartbreaking collection is deeply human. Despite the horrors depicted, there is so much life in the authors’ words. I appreciated the variety of voices and styles explored across the poems. This is a valuable contribution to the fight for liberation.

[Andrea (Hammock and Read) · Rating 5 out of 5]

60 poems - from all different authors that range throughout the poetry. This is a hard one to read with violence throughout but so needed. Olive trees and watermelon themes in so many but also bombs and death. I highly recommend this to anyone that wants to get own voices to the genocide in Palestine.

[Rebecca Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

***ARC***

I love supporting own voices in any capacity. This was a great way to see how people directly impacted by the war are feeling and how they are using writing as an outlet for their pain and frustrations. Free palestine <3

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

This anthology of poetry was hard hitting, but I knew it was going to be. Beautiful, heartbreaking, hope filled.

A definite must read!! I'm going to need a physical copy for my shelves.

[Iara Moure · Rating 2 out of 5]

Entiendo el trasfondo de esta antologia, pero hubieron muy pocos poemas que se destacaron.

[layan ليان (on hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley, for giving me the opportunity to read We Were Seeds ahead of its release.

This collection of poems brings together voices from around the world, each speaking to the pain and resilience surrounding the genocide in Gaza. Some poems are nostalgic, others brought me to tears, and a few left my heart completely shattered.

That said, I did find it hard to stay immersed at times because of the frequent grammar and vocabulary issues—nearly 40% of the poems had noticeable mistakes, which made the experience feel less polished.

Even so, some pieces truly stood out. My favorite so far is A Native Watching Gaza by Savanah Jade. One line in particular has stayed with me:

“Genocide starts with playing God.”