Opinion: Five Palestinian poets for National Poetry Month
By Laynie Rearick | May 2Now that we’ve entered the seventh month of Israel’s attack on Gaza, I completely understand the people who say it’s pointless to read and enjoy poetry. While it is certainly not a replacement for attending protests, emailing representatives and donating to relief organizations, I believe that poetry has the incredible capacity to criticize and dismantle oppressive structures and ideologies. Poems serve as a rallying cry; they give voices to the voiceless and allow people to empathize with those who have different experiences from theirs.