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Before the Next Bomb Drops: Rising Up from Brooklyn to Palestine
we are the boat / returning to dock / we are the footprints / on the northern trail / we are the iron / coloring the soil / we cannot / be erased
—from “Refugee"
Remi Kanazi's poetry presents an unflinching look at the lives of Palestinians under occupation and as refugees scattered across the globe. He captures the Palestinian people's stubborn refusal to be erased, gives voice to the ongoing struggle for liberation, and explores the meaning of international solidarity.
In this latest collection, Kanazi expands his focus outside the sphere of Palestine and presents pieces examining racism in America, police brutality, US militarism at home and wars abroad, conflict voyeurism, Islamophobia, and a range of other issues.
—from “Refugee"
Remi Kanazi's poetry presents an unflinching look at the lives of Palestinians under occupation and as refugees scattered across the globe. He captures the Palestinian people's stubborn refusal to be erased, gives voice to the ongoing struggle for liberation, and explores the meaning of international solidarity.
In this latest collection, Kanazi expands his focus outside the sphere of Palestine and presents pieces examining racism in America, police brutality, US militarism at home and wars abroad, conflict voyeurism, Islamophobia, and a range of other issues.
100 pages, Paperback
First published August 21, 2015
12 people are currently reading
1643 people want to read
About the author
Remi Kanazi
4 books77 followersRemi Kanazi is a poet, writer, and organizer based in New York City. He is the author of Before the Next Bomb Drops: Rising Up from Brooklyn to Palestine, Poetic Injustice: Writings on Resistance and Palestine, and the editor of Poets For Palestine.
His political commentary has been featured by news outlets throughout the world, including the New York Times, Salon, Al Jazeera English, and BBC Radio. Kanazi has toured hundreds of venues across the United States, Canada, Europe and the Middle East. He is a Lannan Residency Fellow and an Advisory Committee member for the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel.
His political commentary has been featured by news outlets throughout the world, including the New York Times, Salon, Al Jazeera English, and BBC Radio. Kanazi has toured hundreds of venues across the United States, Canada, Europe and the Middle East. He is a Lannan Residency Fellow and an Advisory Committee member for the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
December 18, 2023
A heartbreaking look at the loss that is happening in Palestine; loss of loved ones, loss of identity, loss of hope - loss of ever finding an end to a cycle of violence that is spinning ever faster. Remi Kanazi is a voice that needs to be heard; while you may not agree with everything he says there is no question as to his passion to find solutions, before the point of no return is reached.
June 9, 2020
Is writing this review a way to run away from the idea that if writing my paper is boring me, it is likely going to bore whoever is reading it and ahh, the topic is so interesting, why can't I come up with something better to say?
I knew this would irritate me but I've been on a bit of a marathon of books that I disagree with so I figured, why not go for this? Linda Sarsour also mentioned this book in her book so I was kind of curious.
I'll start by commenting on the writing style and then move on to the content. It's clear that Kanazi is a spoken word artist. I watched a few of his videos and his poetry is just so much better spoken. When you read his poems, they become confusing. The words kind of merge together and it becomes hard to understand, and not in a poetic sense. Rather, in a literal, "what do you mean? where does the sentence end?" way. If it's an artistic choice, it doesn't quite work for me.
When it comes to the content, I could obviously write my usual monologue about all the ways the Palestinian narrative gets Israelis wrong however, I'd like to focus on something else, Kanazi's attempts toties together BLM with BDS by assuming that both fight racism and colonialism.
With the protests in the states right now, I'm hearing many discussions about this topic. BLM supports BDS and for many Jews and Israelis, that is problematic. I've been seeing articles suggesting we can't support BLM since that would mean supporting BDS and on the other side of the map, articles saying that what's happening to Black Americans is exactly like what's happening to Palestinians. To make things interesting (and equally awful), an Israeli policeman accidentally killed Iyad Halaq, a 32 year old with autism a few weeks ago so the public outrage here mirrors the one in the states.
I've been thinking about this a lot and I think I've found the middle ground that I agree with. There are two articles that reflect how I feel about the topic and I think can be relevant for Kanazi's poetry as well.
First, this article which says that even though as an Israeli, I have strong feelings against BDS, now is the time to support BLM, to put Black voices and their struggle within white communities in the center. By combining struggles right now and attempting to speak up for Palestinians (as an American), this comes across as ignoring the problem, almost like JK Rowling deciding now is the perfect time to be transphobic. If as an Israeli, I'm focusing more on George Floyd than Iyad Halaq, I'm doing something wrong. As an American Palestinian, I imagine Kanazi feels a connection to both but the fact that he feels this connection doesn't mean that we all should associate BLM with BDS when BLM requires our attention now.
Secondly, this article which argues that there is a difference between the Black struggle and the Palestinian one. They aren't comparable. It's tempting to compare them because the injustices Black Americans face are so vivid and obvious, you can't (and shouldn't) stay neutral while watching George Floyd's last moments or when reading about police brutality, the school to prison pipeline and the list just goes on. So we assume what's happening in Israel is exactly the same when really, that's a very Western centric thought that assumes American racial politics are applicable everywhere.
Beyond this, it appears that Kanazi decides to compare BLM's struggle to BDS's struggle in an attempt to make Americans care. It's like, you care about racism in America? What about racism in Israel? I don't like this narrative because we should seek justice everywhere equally (is it that obvious that I just spent an hour doing the reading for my class about Politics and Law?). We need to look for just solutions. Just solutions aren't going to show up by attempting to import American slogans, we need to find our way of dealing with our problems.
This leads me to my last point (ugh, I have so much studying to do and I'm so behind everything). Kanazi's main message seems to be "All Israelis are bad and we shouldn't engage with them". His focus is solely on fighting the occupation and remembering the past. The closest he gets to speaking about active actions is supporting BDS and criticizing dialogue groups.
On one hand, I get what he's saying. My Identitypolitics in Europe class just discussed research that shows that engaging in empathy and perspective activities (like, cooking classes with Israeli and Palestinians or workshops that help you see things through the eyes of refugees) impacts your opinions in the short term but not in the long term. So you go to a dialogue group, feel empathy for a few hours, and then after a while, you revert back to whatever you thought earlier. Change doesn't come solely from holding hands and feeling warmly about each other for an afternoon.
And yet, in the same breath, I don't understand what he's proposing. I don't see an alternative to dialogue and mutual cooperation. Like it or not, both Arabs and Jews see this as their home and I'm so tired of people pretending that there's any valid alternative that could change this reality, especially when this is a claim I've heard a lot by non-Palestinians but I've yet to meet a Palestinian that genuinely believes it's possible or desirable to revert back to pre-1948. There's such a big gap between saying "Jews and Palestinians are here now, let's make sure everyone can live life equally and freely" and saying "Palestinians/Jews don't belong here, we need to get rid of them".
All in all, I am not the biggest fan of protest poetry because I think it focuses more on emotions and less on actions and thoughts. I think emotions aren't a healthy source for activism. This is yet another review where I hardly mention the book but at least I'm having a nice time procrastinating.
What I'm Taking With Me
- I can already feel future me disagreeing with stuff here.
- I'm pretty awed at what's happening in the states, like that conversation is so important and it's so good that it's happening.
- I said this before but I think I really am going to take a break from reading about Israel-Palestine.
I knew this would irritate me but I've been on a bit of a marathon of books that I disagree with so I figured, why not go for this? Linda Sarsour also mentioned this book in her book so I was kind of curious.
I'll start by commenting on the writing style and then move on to the content. It's clear that Kanazi is a spoken word artist. I watched a few of his videos and his poetry is just so much better spoken. When you read his poems, they become confusing. The words kind of merge together and it becomes hard to understand, and not in a poetic sense. Rather, in a literal, "what do you mean? where does the sentence end?" way. If it's an artistic choice, it doesn't quite work for me.
When it comes to the content, I could obviously write my usual monologue about all the ways the Palestinian narrative gets Israelis wrong however, I'd like to focus on something else, Kanazi's attempts toties together BLM with BDS by assuming that both fight racism and colonialism.
With the protests in the states right now, I'm hearing many discussions about this topic. BLM supports BDS and for many Jews and Israelis, that is problematic. I've been seeing articles suggesting we can't support BLM since that would mean supporting BDS and on the other side of the map, articles saying that what's happening to Black Americans is exactly like what's happening to Palestinians. To make things interesting (and equally awful), an Israeli policeman accidentally killed Iyad Halaq, a 32 year old with autism a few weeks ago so the public outrage here mirrors the one in the states.
I've been thinking about this a lot and I think I've found the middle ground that I agree with. There are two articles that reflect how I feel about the topic and I think can be relevant for Kanazi's poetry as well.
First, this article which says that even though as an Israeli, I have strong feelings against BDS, now is the time to support BLM, to put Black voices and their struggle within white communities in the center. By combining struggles right now and attempting to speak up for Palestinians (as an American), this comes across as ignoring the problem, almost like JK Rowling deciding now is the perfect time to be transphobic. If as an Israeli, I'm focusing more on George Floyd than Iyad Halaq, I'm doing something wrong. As an American Palestinian, I imagine Kanazi feels a connection to both but the fact that he feels this connection doesn't mean that we all should associate BLM with BDS when BLM requires our attention now.
Secondly, this article which argues that there is a difference between the Black struggle and the Palestinian one. They aren't comparable. It's tempting to compare them because the injustices Black Americans face are so vivid and obvious, you can't (and shouldn't) stay neutral while watching George Floyd's last moments or when reading about police brutality, the school to prison pipeline and the list just goes on. So we assume what's happening in Israel is exactly the same when really, that's a very Western centric thought that assumes American racial politics are applicable everywhere.
Beyond this, it appears that Kanazi decides to compare BLM's struggle to BDS's struggle in an attempt to make Americans care. It's like, you care about racism in America? What about racism in Israel? I don't like this narrative because we should seek justice everywhere equally (is it that obvious that I just spent an hour doing the reading for my class about Politics and Law?). We need to look for just solutions. Just solutions aren't going to show up by attempting to import American slogans, we need to find our way of dealing with our problems.
This leads me to my last point (ugh, I have so much studying to do and I'm so behind everything). Kanazi's main message seems to be "All Israelis are bad and we shouldn't engage with them". His focus is solely on fighting the occupation and remembering the past. The closest he gets to speaking about active actions is supporting BDS and criticizing dialogue groups.
On one hand, I get what he's saying. My Identitypolitics in Europe class just discussed research that shows that engaging in empathy and perspective activities (like, cooking classes with Israeli and Palestinians or workshops that help you see things through the eyes of refugees) impacts your opinions in the short term but not in the long term. So you go to a dialogue group, feel empathy for a few hours, and then after a while, you revert back to whatever you thought earlier. Change doesn't come solely from holding hands and feeling warmly about each other for an afternoon.
And yet, in the same breath, I don't understand what he's proposing. I don't see an alternative to dialogue and mutual cooperation. Like it or not, both Arabs and Jews see this as their home and I'm so tired of people pretending that there's any valid alternative that could change this reality, especially when this is a claim I've heard a lot by non-Palestinians but I've yet to meet a Palestinian that genuinely believes it's possible or desirable to revert back to pre-1948. There's such a big gap between saying "Jews and Palestinians are here now, let's make sure everyone can live life equally and freely" and saying "Palestinians/Jews don't belong here, we need to get rid of them".
All in all, I am not the biggest fan of protest poetry because I think it focuses more on emotions and less on actions and thoughts. I think emotions aren't a healthy source for activism. This is yet another review where I hardly mention the book but at least I'm having a nice time procrastinating.
What I'm Taking With Me
- I can already feel future me disagreeing with stuff here.
- I'm pretty awed at what's happening in the states, like that conversation is so important and it's so good that it's happening.
- I said this before but I think I really am going to take a break from reading about Israel-Palestine.
January 30, 2024
we owe palestine our endurance.
January 10, 2024
"that's the beauty of justice, it knows no sympathy for oppression" !!!!!!!!!
November 17, 2020
‘we will return
that is not a threat
not a wish
a hope
or a dream
but a promise’
-
I like how direct the writer was in all of his poems, many of them gave me goosebumps. I also like that Iraq and Ferguson were mentioned.
Aside from 2 of these poems, I feel like all the poems would have a much stronger impact were they spoken word, as some poems were a bit confusing to read and the words kind of merged into each other.
Overall, a great read 🧡
that is not a threat
not a wish
a hope
or a dream
but a promise’
-
I like how direct the writer was in all of his poems, many of them gave me goosebumps. I also like that Iraq and Ferguson were mentioned.
Aside from 2 of these poems, I feel like all the poems would have a much stronger impact were they spoken word, as some poems were a bit confusing to read and the words kind of merged into each other.
Overall, a great read 🧡
January 18, 2024
"They could build a prison cell
strip away mobility
carve into flesh
but they could never win
that's the beauty of justice
it knows no sympathy for oppression"
A masterpiece that was written 8 years ago and still resonates to this day. I wish this wasn’t as timeless as it reads. And I pray we all live to see a liberated Palestine.
strip away mobility
carve into flesh
but they could never win
that's the beauty of justice
it knows no sympathy for oppression"
A masterpiece that was written 8 years ago and still resonates to this day. I wish this wasn’t as timeless as it reads. And I pray we all live to see a liberated Palestine.
December 18, 2016
Damn, this is really good and intense. Obviously it has a lot to say about the Palestinian/Israeli sitution/conflict/etc., but it has a lot to say about place like Ferguson, and issues like Stop And Frisk. I happened up Remi when I discovered Haymarket Books, and saw a video of him reciting one of these poems and it was powerful. I got no answers to the problems in Palestine - too ignorant to really comment with any intelligence - but man people all over sure have the capacity for too-simple answers and injustice, as well as good.
December 23, 2015
While it may be easy to recognize this book largely for its focus on Palestine, it contains messages that resonate with those who have suffered injustice, universally. Indeed, whether facing different intersections of oppression or even struggling with day-to-day issues, Kanazi’s poetry illustrates understanding, not just of injustice, but of life--in general--and through that allows people to find optimistic paths towards resolution.
November 14, 2023
I did not have the necessary context for this book when I bought it.
I went to a poetry reading on a college campus and was moved by the words, moved by the story.
But I didn't get it.
I bought a book. Got it personally signed.
It says right there on the title page, "Jess, thanks for all the support! Remi Kanazi"
And I did buy the book.
But I didn't get it.
It's been sitting on my shelf for 6 years, unread.
Until today.
Maybe if I'd tried to read it before, I would have understood the context sooner. I wouldn't have stumbled in the dark for so long, unable to grasp at the atrocities, the genocide, the horror that the country I live in is on the wrong side.
But I didn't. It seemed too heavy for me at the time - too complicated.
I feel like an asshole.
I have the context now. There's no way for me NOT to, and that's definitely a good thing. America is paying attention. The people are listening and marching and are making it clear WE WANT A CEASEFIRE NOW.
Everything I do will feel like too little. I can call and email my representatives, I can change my profile picture, I can scream "END APARTHEID, FREE PALESTINE, ZIONISTS FUCK OFF" at the top of my lungs but GOD it never feels like enough.
But I have to do SOMETHING.
So I read this book. I bought it when I had the chance. I'll share it, hoping it will make others feel things as well - give them the language to express it to others.
This poetry will not end apartheid. But it might lend some courage to the people who can.
I went to a poetry reading on a college campus and was moved by the words, moved by the story.
But I didn't get it.
I bought a book. Got it personally signed.
It says right there on the title page, "Jess, thanks for all the support! Remi Kanazi"
And I did buy the book.
But I didn't get it.
It's been sitting on my shelf for 6 years, unread.
Until today.
Maybe if I'd tried to read it before, I would have understood the context sooner. I wouldn't have stumbled in the dark for so long, unable to grasp at the atrocities, the genocide, the horror that the country I live in is on the wrong side.
But I didn't. It seemed too heavy for me at the time - too complicated.
I feel like an asshole.
I have the context now. There's no way for me NOT to, and that's definitely a good thing. America is paying attention. The people are listening and marching and are making it clear WE WANT A CEASEFIRE NOW.
Everything I do will feel like too little. I can call and email my representatives, I can change my profile picture, I can scream "END APARTHEID, FREE PALESTINE, ZIONISTS FUCK OFF" at the top of my lungs but GOD it never feels like enough.
But I have to do SOMETHING.
So I read this book. I bought it when I had the chance. I'll share it, hoping it will make others feel things as well - give them the language to express it to others.
This poetry will not end apartheid. But it might lend some courage to the people who can.
Read
December 1, 2023building bombed, beams through flesh
buried under rubble
suffocated to death
but only beheading is barbaric to the West
what we learn from history
is to repeat it, build upon its cruelty
shape and tailor its brutality
for new systems
This collection was published in 2015, and unfortunately every word is still just as relevant today.
You can tell that the poems were intended as spoken word, and I do think the impact of reading them is somewhat lessened, but the imagery and the passion still absolutely comes through.
This would also be an excellent book to pair with Freedom Is a Constant Struggle - a lot of the poems are explicitly about tying the Palestinian struggle with Black liberation in the US. Various poems also touch on the Iraq War, drone strikes on Syria (very topical in 2015), and other liberation struggles throughout history.
CW: violence, occupation, bombings, racism, war, death, grief
buried under rubble
suffocated to death
but only beheading is barbaric to the West
what we learn from history
is to repeat it, build upon its cruelty
shape and tailor its brutality
for new systems
This collection was published in 2015, and unfortunately every word is still just as relevant today.
You can tell that the poems were intended as spoken word, and I do think the impact of reading them is somewhat lessened, but the imagery and the passion still absolutely comes through.
This would also be an excellent book to pair with Freedom Is a Constant Struggle - a lot of the poems are explicitly about tying the Palestinian struggle with Black liberation in the US. Various poems also touch on the Iraq War, drone strikes on Syria (very topical in 2015), and other liberation struggles throughout history.
CW: violence, occupation, bombings, racism, war, death, grief
April 3, 2025
Before The Next Bomb Drops is one of the best poetry collections I've read so far this year. Kanazi's poetry is filled with rage, and rightfully so, commenting on the systems that oppress Palestinians in their homeland and in the US, systems that oppress other marginalised peoples too. Poems like Nakba and #InsideOut got to me the most, but this collection is cover to cover scathing commentary on systems that are worse than ever a decade after Kanazi published this. Highly recommended.
November 5, 2017
1. As I was reading the heartbreaking descriptions of Palestinian struggle, I realized this is the first time I'm reading a narrative of Palestine issues by a Palestinian author. Growing up in Iran, I used to hear a lot about Intifada, Aqsa, Nakba, Israel regime, ... but everything I know comes from a narrative offered to me through the political agenda of Islamic Republic of Iran. I feel awful. I wrote a freaking master thesis about narrative critical literacy and the necessity of having access to multiple narratives. Yet, I had never even tried to find a first hand narrative of Palestinian people. Before the Next Bomb Drops reminded me of the gaps in my understanding of the issue.
2. I think the entire book could've been written in the form of a sharp, passionate, and candid essay. An essay that you cannot walk away from and be the same person you were before. I read all of the poems in one sitting and at some point it felt like I'm reading the same statements over and over again. Too direct and straightforward for a book of poetry.
3. Still, I do really appreciate Kanazi's unapologetic anger and rage. Such a great wake-up call.
2. I think the entire book could've been written in the form of a sharp, passionate, and candid essay. An essay that you cannot walk away from and be the same person you were before. I read all of the poems in one sitting and at some point it felt like I'm reading the same statements over and over again. Too direct and straightforward for a book of poetry.
3. Still, I do really appreciate Kanazi's unapologetic anger and rage. Such a great wake-up call.
May 5, 2020
I met Remi about a year ago when he spoke as a guest at my university's solidarity week for Palestine. I heard him recite a few of these poems out loud and felt compelled to buy a signed copy his book!
Throughout this collection of poems, he captures the plight of the Palestinian people in a way that mainstream academics and history buffs cannot. Each of these poems are evocative and visceral, and even if you forget the words or specific language, the imagery stings. My favorite 5 were "Normalize This!," "Tree-Lined Empire," "Solidarity," "#InsideOut," and "Tone It Down."
Free Palestine.
Throughout this collection of poems, he captures the plight of the Palestinian people in a way that mainstream academics and history buffs cannot. Each of these poems are evocative and visceral, and even if you forget the words or specific language, the imagery stings. My favorite 5 were "Normalize This!," "Tree-Lined Empire," "Solidarity," "#InsideOut," and "Tone It Down."
Free Palestine.
December 10, 2023
Another book recommended to me by trusted friends, and another that really should be taught across history + English lit courses in this country.
The book begins with a dedication, as so many do: "To my mother, Libby, who instilled in me the confidence to speak my mind and never back down in the face of injustice." [If only we could all be so brave.]
This is a book that seeks to provide first-hand perspective of what's happening in Gaza (what's been happening; this book was published in 2015), while also asking us to look closely at ourselves here in the U.S. and how our own internal racism and glorification of militarism rots our very roots. How the damage we can do goes far beyond our borders. How borders themselves are a form of violence.
So many pieces in this book I'm going to need to read and reread to even begin to let them sink in, but here are three particularly poignant passages that are still ringing in my ears:
From "Tone It Down" —
here's another scream:
artillery shells
bury humans alive
...
this is not a poem
this is a reminder
to all sloppy critics
who come up to me
after a show
slavery isn't funny
feminism isn't angry
and the dumb crap
that comes out of your mouth
isn't ok
just cuz you end it with a smile
but if you are really
in the mood for critique
do yourself a favor
look inward
keep that finger pointed
and work on your own shit
because I would rather be labeled
an angry Brown poet
than be an apathetic American
who turned away just long enough
to never actually have to give a damn
From "Layover in Palestine" —
you can go
words I thought
I would never hear again
a kid with peach fuzz
and a grimace
chest puffed
and trigger-finger itchy
what hollowed drones
humans become
-----
[Five timely stars for a book that encourages as much as it screams for awareness, that seeks to educate as much as it demands recognition of a shared humanity—for a book that pushes readers toward radical listening, while daring us to be confident enough to speak our minds and never back down in the face of injustice.]
The book begins with a dedication, as so many do: "To my mother, Libby, who instilled in me the confidence to speak my mind and never back down in the face of injustice." [If only we could all be so brave.]
This is a book that seeks to provide first-hand perspective of what's happening in Gaza (what's been happening; this book was published in 2015), while also asking us to look closely at ourselves here in the U.S. and how our own internal racism and glorification of militarism rots our very roots. How the damage we can do goes far beyond our borders. How borders themselves are a form of violence.
So many pieces in this book I'm going to need to read and reread to even begin to let them sink in, but here are three particularly poignant passages that are still ringing in my ears:
From "Tone It Down" —
here's another scream:
artillery shells
bury humans alive
...
this is not a poem
this is a reminder
to all sloppy critics
who come up to me
after a show
slavery isn't funny
feminism isn't angry
and the dumb crap
that comes out of your mouth
isn't ok
just cuz you end it with a smile
but if you are really
in the mood for critique
do yourself a favor
look inward
keep that finger pointed
and work on your own shit
because I would rather be labeled
an angry Brown poet
than be an apathetic American
who turned away just long enough
to never actually have to give a damn
From "Layover in Palestine" —
you can go
words I thought
I would never hear again
a kid with peach fuzz
and a grimace
chest puffed
and trigger-finger itchy
what hollowed drones
humans become
-----
[Five timely stars for a book that encourages as much as it screams for awareness, that seeks to educate as much as it demands recognition of a shared humanity—for a book that pushes readers toward radical listening, while daring us to be confident enough to speak our minds and never back down in the face of injustice.]
July 16, 2021
“your furnace is heated with our wood
table covered with our cloths
figs plucked from our trees
and you want us to coexist?
I have no problem with Palestinians
he says to me
squatter of colonies
usurper of aquifers
exploiter of occupied labor
there is Arabic on the awning
of the house you live in
no scars on palms
to show you built it
the stones you stand on were laid by a grandfather
who passed away in 1997
his daughter clutches a key older
than any memory you possess
presents a deed affirming your
Conquest”
~Remi Kanazi
This is a powerful anthology of poems that perfectly depict the plight of Palestine, Palestinians, the Palestinian diaspora, and the ongoing Nakba. Not only do these poems give voice to the struggles of Palestine, but Remi also highlights global injustices and fights for freedom and equality including here in the States. These poems do not hold back any punches and the absolute truth in Remi's words had me nodding and 'mmming' and exclaiming "absa-freaking-lutely!" outloud. So much emotion and heart was clearly put into these beautiful and powerful poems and it conveys when the words ignite your heart and give you chills.
table covered with our cloths
figs plucked from our trees
and you want us to coexist?
I have no problem with Palestinians
he says to me
squatter of colonies
usurper of aquifers
exploiter of occupied labor
there is Arabic on the awning
of the house you live in
no scars on palms
to show you built it
the stones you stand on were laid by a grandfather
who passed away in 1997
his daughter clutches a key older
than any memory you possess
presents a deed affirming your
Conquest”
~Remi Kanazi
This is a powerful anthology of poems that perfectly depict the plight of Palestine, Palestinians, the Palestinian diaspora, and the ongoing Nakba. Not only do these poems give voice to the struggles of Palestine, but Remi also highlights global injustices and fights for freedom and equality including here in the States. These poems do not hold back any punches and the absolute truth in Remi's words had me nodding and 'mmming' and exclaiming "absa-freaking-lutely!" outloud. So much emotion and heart was clearly put into these beautiful and powerful poems and it conveys when the words ignite your heart and give you chills.
January 11, 2025
Read this read this read this read this read this READ. THIS.
My heart is in TATTERS. I am in complete disbelief that this was published in 2015. How. HOW?! I would have BET. MONEY. that this was a new release.
This is the pinnacle of intersectional writing. If I could have shared every poem, I would have.
“Say their names
Like Newtown children
say their names
al Bayda, Shejaiya
Chicago, Staten Island
say their names
like haunting whispers
say their names”
I am just in awe. Every poem had me (metaphorically) throwing this book - I got it from the library so it was on my iPad - because this is exactly what I want from a collection that prides itself on sociopolitical commentary. Remi Kanazi leaves no stone unturned and spares no group, no topic from his pen.
Easily one of my favorite collections to date and I am so disappointed that it’s taken me this long to hear about it.
My heart is in TATTERS. I am in complete disbelief that this was published in 2015. How. HOW?! I would have BET. MONEY. that this was a new release.
This is the pinnacle of intersectional writing. If I could have shared every poem, I would have.
“Say their names
Like Newtown children
say their names
al Bayda, Shejaiya
Chicago, Staten Island
say their names
like haunting whispers
say their names”
I am just in awe. Every poem had me (metaphorically) throwing this book - I got it from the library so it was on my iPad - because this is exactly what I want from a collection that prides itself on sociopolitical commentary. Remi Kanazi leaves no stone unturned and spares no group, no topic from his pen.
Easily one of my favorite collections to date and I am so disappointed that it’s taken me this long to hear about it.
December 2, 2023
What a time to read this timely collection; poems like ‘An Open Letter to Campus Zionist Groups and University Chancellors’ are full of frustration (so let’s have a thought / experiment on tolerance) and reading as it plays out in real-time in the here and now adds a layer of desperation. ‘This Poem Will Not End Apartheid’ is hard to read and realise just how long these comparisons have been going on, unheeded and unheard — and it’s definitely positioned for an American audience especially, asking and begging them to listen. ‘Nakba’ yanks you into a historical retelling that’s intergenerational trauma handed down and expressed so viscerally …
This was published in 2015 and the reason it reads so timely is a devastating and frustrating one, but necessary to confront.
This was published in 2015 and the reason it reads so timely is a devastating and frustrating one, but necessary to confront.
September 26, 2024
This collection was full of anger. I think I understand it better when it is. Idk if that says anything about me, or just that anger is easier to put into words, a universal language if you will. But if you go to https://www.haymarketbooks.org/blogs/...
there are 4 free books you can download, one at a time, and though I’ve not made it to them yet both this collection and “My Mother Was a Freedom Fighter” were both published by Haymarket Books.
I can’t help myself in the sense that I’m a “what good can one person do” sort of thinker, but I’m trying to change my internal dialogue, or persist in spite of that voice. I want to help. I want to educate myself, and then others. I’m surrounded by conservative, “religious” fucks, and it’s suffocating.
_______________
#InsideOut
building bombed, beams through flesh
buried under rubble
suffocated to death
but only beheading is barbaric to the West
#Gaza
-Remi Kanazi
there are 4 free books you can download, one at a time, and though I’ve not made it to them yet both this collection and “My Mother Was a Freedom Fighter” were both published by Haymarket Books.
I can’t help myself in the sense that I’m a “what good can one person do” sort of thinker, but I’m trying to change my internal dialogue, or persist in spite of that voice. I want to help. I want to educate myself, and then others. I’m surrounded by conservative, “religious” fucks, and it’s suffocating.
_______________
#InsideOut
building bombed, beams through flesh
buried under rubble
suffocated to death
but only beheading is barbaric to the West
#Gaza
-Remi Kanazi
May 29, 2025
An indictment in verse - Before the Next Bomb Drops
He doesn't miss. I'll admit to not being poetry's # 1 fan, but this one I get. And you'll learn things. It's piercing and direct.
He comes for everyone - Zionists, US politicians, his well meaning American friends, Israel, soldiers, settlers, intellectuals writing books explaining the situation, the occupation, apartheid, 100 years of genocide, Americans whose tax dollars fund mass murder instead of their own healthcare, and your own conscience.
It's short and direct enough I think it's a good one to pick if you don't have much time to read long histories but you're open to learning about what's going on in Palestine.
Published in 2015. Still describes the present.
Buy it. Borrow it at the library. I wonder how the audiobook is.
He doesn't miss. I'll admit to not being poetry's # 1 fan, but this one I get. And you'll learn things. It's piercing and direct.
He comes for everyone - Zionists, US politicians, his well meaning American friends, Israel, soldiers, settlers, intellectuals writing books explaining the situation, the occupation, apartheid, 100 years of genocide, Americans whose tax dollars fund mass murder instead of their own healthcare, and your own conscience.
It's short and direct enough I think it's a good one to pick if you don't have much time to read long histories but you're open to learning about what's going on in Palestine.
Published in 2015. Still describes the present.
Buy it. Borrow it at the library. I wonder how the audiobook is.
June 19, 2024
Devastating, but I must share the passage that left hope in its ruins:
"No matter how tight Israel thinks its grip is, the bullets, the bombs, the checkpoints the UN vetoes, the congressional applause - these children are more powerful than F-16s, more assured than US military aid. They will climb walls, skirt roadblocks, dodge tear gas , they will unravel injustice by their very existence in every breath they take, every wedding that's held, every newborn they bring into this world, they know it. Zionists know it; the occupation's days are numbered"
🍉🫶
"No matter how tight Israel thinks its grip is, the bullets, the bombs, the checkpoints the UN vetoes, the congressional applause - these children are more powerful than F-16s, more assured than US military aid. They will climb walls, skirt roadblocks, dodge tear gas , they will unravel injustice by their very existence in every breath they take, every wedding that's held, every newborn they bring into this world, they know it. Zionists know it; the occupation's days are numbered"
🍉🫶
January 26, 2024
“no matter how tight Israel thinks its grip is
the bullets, the bombs, the checkpoints
the UN vetoes, the congressional applause
these children are more powerful than F-165
more assured than US military aid
they will climb walls, skirt roadblocks, dodge tear gas
they will unravel injustice by their very existence
in every breath they take, every wedding that's held
every newborn they bring into this world, they know it
Zionists know it, the occupation's days are numbered.”
the bullets, the bombs, the checkpoints
the UN vetoes, the congressional applause
these children are more powerful than F-165
more assured than US military aid
they will climb walls, skirt roadblocks, dodge tear gas
they will unravel injustice by their very existence
in every breath they take, every wedding that's held
every newborn they bring into this world, they know it
Zionists know it, the occupation's days are numbered.”
October 26, 2023
Powerful writing about Palestine from a Palestinian perspective, which I realize I rarely hear. The poems were not always poetic, but they always packed a punch, and many of them drew comparisons with American police brutality and other forms of Imperialism, so the reader cannot stay an outside observer. Many of these pieces sliced right through my idea of myself as a peace activist and made me think harder about what I do and don't do to achieve justice in this world. This book is definitely worth reading, even if you won't agree with every one of this poet's viewpoints.
May 5, 2024
“you are either
with oppression
or against it
I didn’t write history
and didn’t choose for you
to stand on the wrong side of it
your system of injustice
is coming to an end
and whether you
recognize it or not yet
it will be liberating
for you too”
with oppression
or against it
I didn’t write history
and didn’t choose for you
to stand on the wrong side of it
your system of injustice
is coming to an end
and whether you
recognize it or not yet
it will be liberating
for you too”
April 10, 2020
This collection of poems did not come to play around, though with a title like that it comes as no surprise. Powerful, moving, angry poetry.
June 22, 2021
Um, poetry is not for me....
Read
December 22, 2023Reread
March 13, 2021
astonishingly honest, open, and powerful.
Read
October 18, 2023Unrated. I definitely recommend this short poetry collection, it is extremely relevant to the events occurring right now.
January 7, 2016
Before the Next Bomb Drops was refreshing and inspiring. Kanazi presents a perspective we hardly, if ever, hear in mainstream media. Reading his words stimulated my curiosity to read more about Palestine, the "War on Terror," racism, the Black Lives Matter movement, and other important issues of the day. When I finished the book, I felt more informed and more engaged with the world than before. I can't recommend this collection highly enough. I also think it would make a good gift for politically-engaged/curious friends and family.
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