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Poets of Protest

In this collection, originally featured in the April 2014 issue of Words Without Borders, we present poetry by two exiled writers, Iraqi Manal Al-Sheikh and Palestinian Mazen Maarouf.

Poets of Protest

By the Editors of Words Without Borders

Words Without Borders introduces Manal Al-Sheikh and Mazen Maarouf, two poets living in exile in Scandinavia.

Downtown

By Mazen Maarouf

I roll my pierced heart / across the bedcover

Translated from Arabic by Kareem James Abu-Zeid & Nathalie Handal

Multilingual

On Death

By Mazen Maarouf

But we run up against / the stone slab over our bodies

Translated from Arabic by Kareem James Abu-Zeid & Nathalie Handal

Multilingual

A Stray Bullet

By Mazen Maarouf

a stray bullet / veered slightly off course

Translated from Arabic by Kareem James Abu-Zeid & Nathalie Handal

Multilingual

My Body

By Manal Al-Sheikh

The wearied ships land in its eyes

Translated from Arabic by Angham A. Abdullah

Multilingual

War

By Manal Al-Sheikh

One day there will be no men

Translated from Arabic by Angham A. Abdullah

Multilingual