Artist: Ahmed, Flyers for Falastine

What if the occupation did not exist?
Maybe I would never have to leave my land,
or look at photos of my dad, missing him,
or grieve my close beloveds.

Maybe I would still have that big pink bear
my mom gave me on my 13th birthday,
too large for my travel bag
but never too big for my heart.

Maybe I would not have to count
the empty chairs at the table.
I would still share warm manakish bi zaatar
with my family, telling jokes,
hearing their laughter drift through the kitchen
like the scent of thyme
carried in the morning air.

Maybe I would no longer be afraid
to check my phone.
The messages would be about
graduations and celebrations,
not bombings and martyrs.

If the occupation did not exist,
maybe I would have more
than blurred memories of my land.
I could then look forward to a future
filled with unforgettable moments:
the laughter of children,
wedding songs,
the silence of peace.