I look at the sky and say,
A year without you is a lifetime.
I can picture Essa laughing and replying,
You can say “I miss you” without your
Poetic language.
We miss you too.

I laugh and reply,
I miss only Ouda because
You were born on the anniversary of the Nakba
And died a day before my birthday.

They look at me, sitting on the balcony
Of my rental in Cairo, by the physiotherapy college,
And ask,
What do you write about lately?
I wrote a poem about how I miss being a physiotherapist.
I know you miss it too.

They nod and reply,
We miss Gaza too.

I look at the sky and laugh.
Hello losers!
Barcelona defeated Royal Madrid today.
I can picture them throwing stuff at a huge screen in heaven.
For safety reasons, I wish no Barcelona’s fans sit close to them.

Ouda looks at me and yells,
Next time!
We will beat you next time.

Editor’s note: Essa Fayez Essa, who was killed by Israel on November 22, 2023, is also commemorated in another of Basman’s poems, His name was Essa.