Things You May Find Hidden In My Ear: Poems from Gaza
Of this book, Mary Karr has written, “these poems are like flowers that grow out of bomb craters, and Mosab Abu Toha is an astonishing talent to celebrate.” Kaveh Akbar has written, “…this is poetry of the highest order.” What’s so amazing about the young Abu Toha’s poems is how they feel like cleansing, refreshing tonics, invoking beauty and precious daily life, even though he lives where he was born, in Gaza, what has been described as “the world’s largest open-air prison.” These poems shimmer, without rancor or bitterness, creating a sense of space and humanity but also telling the very true story of what it is like to live in a place where massacres of innocent civilians, too often children, occur regularly and rubble from Israeli bombardment abounds: “Every day I set foot in the maze…” At an even younger age, Abu Toha founded the Edward Said Library, Gaza’s first English-language library, which continues to support cultural activities. He has been a Visiting Poet at Harvard University and has since returned with his wife and three kids to Gaza, where their families remain. These poems will transport you into a realm of deepest humanity and never-ending hope. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.