A Letter to Palestinian Men by Noor Alzaghal
As a child I used hate men and their fathers
For I could see how they’ve been raised to look down on women
For I could see how they were raised to feel pride in taking advantage of their wife’s vulnerable love
to put her in place
In twenty hundred being forced out of his own house in the middle of the night to clean the voice of resistance off the village walls
A year later, walking home careful of looking suspicious
Two years later, running to the mountains to hide just because everyone else is doing it
Another year goes by and he’s being searched on checkpoints
And I can see him always releasing a breath of relief once knowing you’re home.
But there are 60 minutes in an hour. And 24 hours a day. And 365 days a year.
So I do not hate you anymore
I understand
I see it now
But I don’t support it
I, instead, support you
So count on me
I’ll make you feel
I’ll make you let it all out
I’ll make you let go of that demon
I’ll let you live
Smile and cry
And I will not tell a soul
No enemy should know
Only us and the dark night sky

