If I Must Die by Refaat Alareer

An Invitation
To honour Refaat Alareer, the beloved Palestinian poet, teacher and storyteller who was killed on the 7th of December by an Israeli airstrike, we are inviting all our storytelling friends around the world to recite, record and share his very last poem - If I Must Die - in many languages. His Voice Shall Always Remain.

If I Must Die - Dr Refaat Alareer
If I must die,
you must live
to tell my story
to sell my things
to buy a piece of cloth
and some strings,
(make it white with a long tail)
so that a child, somewhere in Gaza
while looking heaven in the eye
awaiting his dad who left in a blaze –
and bid no one farewell
not even to his flesh
not even to himself –
sees the kite, my kite you made, flying up
above
and thinks for a moment an angel is there
bringing back love
If I must die
let it bring hope
let it be a tale.

You might translate the poem yourself or you can find translations of the poem into many languages online. Of course you might choose to recite the poem in English, the language in which he wrote this beautiful and prescient poem.
#RafaatAlareer
#PalestinianPoet
#StorytellingForPeace
#RememberingRafaat
#IfIMustDie
#GazaVoices
#PoetryForPeace
#InMemoryOfRafaat
#SolidarityWithGaza
#GlobalStorytellers
#HumanityFirst
#WordsForChange
#StorytellingCommunity
#JusticeForGaza
#SpeakForPeace

[Mouss-ykdz]

God bless you sir for talking about this brave man from brave palestine

[ahmadmeleis]

Thank you..

Rest in peace Rifaat

Thank you.. again..

[RichardPepperman-kkyb]

Even poets can be delusional.
Nice try.