Farouk

The stateless

Palestinian

Was set free

In the City

Of Brotherly Love

Philadelphia

The essence of his spirit

Transcended the struggle

As he spoke his voice rose

Away from the pain

Of detention the Iron Machine

Of Injustice he once called it

Nine prisons solitary

In his confinement

For two years detained

Without charges

All of you see

I win my freedom

And our responsibility

Continues he said that night

To the Ethics Society

His message had spread

Had grown louder

As his suffering

Grew longer

Handcuffed

Shackled

He dared to speak

Of Palestine his charge

Was Truth

You see Palestinians

Under constant terrorist

Threats at the hands and crimes

Of Israelis supported by the American

Administration

We, the Palestinians, are victims

Of terrorism perpetrated against us

By the Israeli war machine

He once said

This man who was born

Before Al Nakba was away

For the Occupation

Not allowed by Israel

To return

To Palestine

The land of his birth

Stateless in New York

He gathered the Truth

Like a lover gathers

Flowers he embraced

The Truth nurtured it

Gave Truth as a gift

To all he encountered

I believe that nobody

Can stop the Palestinian

Struggle and I believe

That is not going to stop

Our insistence for rights

Thank you he said

Then his head

Hit the table

Farouk

Collapsed and died

In Philadelphia

At home in the City

Of Brotherly Love

Thank you

Farouk Abdel-Muhti

*Dedicated to the memory of Farouk Abdel-Muhti, 1947-2004

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