We know who the heroes are – a poem

In memory of Aaron Bushnell and the others who self-immolated

in protest over the genocide in Gaza to let us know that the fires 

the empire lights elsewhere come home to burn.

October 7th 2023 …

the Hamas Offensive

carefully cut off

from its anti colonialist context

was presented

to the world

as a wild terrorist assault

stealing

God and hubris-given zionist land

January 7th 2025 …

Mother Earth’s Offensive

of Fires

carefully cut off

from the real narrative

of unchecked corporate assault

on our climate

our wildlife

and our humanity

was presented

to the world

as a hoax

a conspiracy theory

maybe why not

a wildly uncontrollable attack

of nature gone illegally amok

against the most expensive real estate

on the planet

Hamas and Nature

are invisibilized

as forces of Liberation

the mother of all Hollywood blockbusters

is being filmed

this time in real time

with

in the starring roles

the migrants,

the Mexicans

and the incarcerated

on the front line

as fire-fodder – 

just as a genocide

is live streamed

by intrepid journalists

doctors

and aid workers

staying behind

at the risk of their lives

with the clarity

of cleansing fire

we know who

the real stars – 

the only heroes – 

are 

Palestinians living in Jericho on the West Bank name a street in honor of Aaron Bushnell in March 2024.

(c) Julia Wright. January 16th 2025. All Rights Reserved to Susan Abulhawa’s playgroundsforpalestine.org.