This document is an introduction to an anthology of ecphrasis poetry written by 6th grade students at Newtown Friends School about the Israel-Palestine conflict. Ecphrasis poetry describes works of art, and the students each wrote poems responding to photographs related to the conflict. The introduction provides background on ecphrasis poetry and explains that the students studied the history of the conflict before choosing photographs and writing original poems from different perspectives. The document then shares several of the students' ecphrasis poems responding to and interpreting the photographs.

1. THE
STRUGGLE:
An Anthology of
Ecphrasis Poetry About the
Israel-Palestine Conflict
Newtown Friends School
The Class of 2012

2. Introduction
Ecphrasis i th i id d i ti
E h i is the vivid description of something, usually a
f thi ll
work of art. This style of poetry originated in Ancient
Greece. The most commonly cited example is Homer’s vivid
description of the shield of Achilles in The Iliad.
Modern poets use ecphrasis to interpret and speak to
paintings, drawings, photographs and other art forms.
Ecphrasis allows poets and readers to empathize with human
suffering, and is thus the perfect genre for the Israel-
Israel
Palestine conflict which has brought pain to so many.
As part of a broader unit of study on human rights, sixth
g
graders at Newtown Friends School studied the history ofy f
this conflict and its impact on children. Each student chose a
photograph and wrote an original ecphrasis poem. The
views expressed in their poems aren’t necessarily their own,
as some chose to take on a different perspective.
- Kristen Sanchez -

3. “Peace is about the simple things and not being greedy.”
~ Sam ~
“I sometimes don’t recognize how lucky I am.”
~ Cl ~
Cleo
“Peace does not come easily.”
~ Al
Alessandra ~
d
“Peace should be cherished more.”
~T l M ~
Tyler M.
“Peace is a product of living a happy life without poverty.”
~ Ben ~
“I can spread peace by not using violence to solve problems.”
~ Ty B ~
B.
“I can spread peace by doing kind things for others.”
~ Harrison ~

4. When I look at you,
I see hope.
When I look at your life,
I see depressing days.
I’m sorry you witness death everyday
I wish I could make this all
happen to just the suicide bomber.
I feel terrible that you’re the one,
making the statement about your life.
When will you be able to live like a normal kid?
Play outside
Have fun
F lf
Feel free
And not be,
a stuck solider
inside a box.
That sling shot
The little force it has
And yet you still have the guts
To fight against
The powerful,
Forceful gun
That can kill y with
you
1 shot.
I feel sad that an innocent kid like you has to suffer
because of other people’s problems.
A BELIEVER
BY LUKE

5. As you stare into the flame
A message is whispered into your ear By: Ariele
From G-d it shall be
“Evil is not the path to heaven”
As the flame flickers on
You open your eyes
And stare deeply into the flame
G-d whispers again
“Evil is not the path to heaven”
Even thought your train of thought is minute
G-d is reaching out to you by the power
Of the flame
“Evil is not the path to Heaven”
You are lost in time
As you stare into the flame
To you, the world is frozen
And will never unfreeze
Until you’re back in time…
y
When I look at you
staring into that flame
the same message is whispered
to me
So when I think
of you
this message comes
to mind
“Evil is not the path to Heaven
Evil Heaven”

6. A New Home
N H
By Tyler

7. Crying Little Jewish Boy
I’m scared, too little to know exactly what’s going on
Maybe it’s better that way
I gaze up into my father’s dark brown eyes; there is fear,
The fear of losing his son
My ears ring
People are screaming with sorrow and worry in their voices
Unable to move to watch my surroundings
My heart beats faster and faster
I am covered in small burns and smoke
Barely lingers in my lungs
Why did this happen to my family
We didn’t do anything wrong
I feel weaker then I have ever felt before
I am not sure how long I how will keep breathing
But I know
I am too young to die
By Isabel

8. Dear Palestinian refugees,
I wish you could go back to your land
land.
The place where you grew up,
And called your home.
But now it’s gone,
And you will have to find a new land.
As you stagger,
Grasping each other’s hands,
Horrified that your home is gone
As you try to find,
A new place to call your own
A place where there’s no fear.

9. Does it Always Have to Happen?
By Harrison
B H
I am a young boy
I just get in the way sometimes
I get in the way a lot
This time I wasn’t getting in the way
I was the target
I am Palestinian.
But I need some help now,
But I need some help now
More than ever
I am dying
And there is nothing I can do
To stop it
This is a time of war, ,
A time of hatred
And it is a time of,
death
In other countries,
There are no wars about territories
Or where people can live,
So why do we have that here,
Where I am dying
Where my family has died
Where many have died
We all need help
We all need help

10. A Scared Face
By
Hunter
I see you I can smell
A scared face The sand
Holding the gun up with all your might All across your land
I see
I see
A scared face I can smell
Trying to seem tough The sweat
On your face
I hear
People chanting
eop e c a t g
Yelling I can taste
Your longing for a country
I hear Something of your own
Your breath
Your heart beat fast I can taste
I can taste
I can touch The fear on your face
Your face I can wish
Knowing it won’t do anything This would all go away with a storm
I can touch
I can touch I can wish
Your hands
Ask you not to do this This weren’t true
Hope it would make a difference

11. One Rock
By: Sasha
My sun, my star, my life
Will never again awaken
His w m
Hi warm, loving eyes will not shine,
eye hine
Like they used to
Now they are closed
And never will open
His red cheeks full of life
Now pale, and cold
Lifeless
One rock is all it took
To take away his life
My child was standing up
For his land
For me
Yet punished
One time he threw a rock
Just once
Why did you have to son?
Why live
If you hate life
Why cry
If it’s foolish
Why wait
If nothing pleasant is waiting
Just sadness and darkness
Overcoming me
A punishment
For what
Throwing that one rock
But now,
It doesn’t matter anymore
His life
Washed away
Him lying in
Cold, hard darkness
With nothing
My light
He’s gone forever
My life
Will never move again
Because of that one rock.

13. Friend
By Marie-Louise
Friend
Come back
Why can’t you come back to the world in which you belong?
Come back to the world when we were little
And we used to run from street to street barefoot
Kicking the black and white soccer ball until it deflated
Where a bead of sweat trickled off the tip of my nose
I wish you would come back to the days when we would look up
to the sweltering sun
g
And scream, “Please go away! It is too hot for us to play!”
Then my grandmother would burst out of the front door
And tell us to be quiet before Uncle came home and got upset
But now it’s over
There are no memories of those days
There are no memories of those days
In that world
It’s all gone now
Where are you now?
I miss you
Friend
i d

14. Gone
By Emma
Back there
is my only family
my life
my heart
I need to see him
One more time i
How can you drag me away,
from everything
I ever had, I ever loved?
Your eyes are black holes
emotionless
yet they sparkled
when you watched the life, the love
vanish from his eyes.
His eyes
That used to be filled with warmth and light
now dull, lifeless
His soul is gone
He is free
but I am still here
stuck in a world
full of hatred, war
and no mercy.
Dirt blowing in my eyes
Dry and bitter
An excuse for tears
The blistering sun
scorching
an excuse for exhaustion
What did he do?
One rock can’t kill you.
i
Dying would have been less painful
than watching him die.
Now he is gone
Forever.

15. I am a Hero
I woke up today
As Rashid
Just another Palestinian And I can feel the Blood
Blood,
In the large city of Ramallah Sticky and warm,
Full of people Different,
Just Evil.
Like They are evil,
Me. Allah resents them,
Only wanting I am doing what is right,
To live in my own country.
country What i b t
Wh t is best
Then, I was just For me,
A man For my people,
Just going to the store For a better life.
To get ripe fruits And I know
For his elderly mother. I will go to a better Place
I am here now After I die.
As Rashid People are going to know my name,
The man who seized an opportunity Rashid,
And brought Palestine The liberator.
One step closer I will be in a poster
To breaking free from the tyranny the wall of a Palestinian child’s Bedroom.
On
Imposed on innocent people
By the Israelis.
I am a hero now.
h But what of tomorrow?
And with my own hands There will be consequences.
I have killed Will the Israelis close the border?
One of them, Will they bulldoze my mother’s house?
Will they send bombs?
How can I think about Faraj and Joni,
The two little boys
That li down th street?
Th t live d the t t?
Will they not be able
To grow old
Just because
I tried to be a hero?
Will I be able to wake up,
Look at myself in the mirror,
And not feel guilt?
And what of my mother?
Will she be ashamed
To think of me
As her son?
And did my actions
Send us one step forward
Or
Ten spaces
Backwards?
No,
I did the right thing.
Right?

16. By Dennis
I hate the tanks
All I hear is the rumbling of tanks
All I hear is the rumbling of tanks
And shouts of angry people
Exhaust fills my lungs
As I pick up a rock
As I pick up a rock
I will throw the rock
There is nothing else to throw
But will they shoot me?
I will throw the rock
I do not care
I hate the tanks

17. When I’m playing
When I’m playing
Football in my backyard
You don’t even know what type of ‘football’ I’m talking about
Because you will never get to experience
A amusing childhood
And your backyard
Is just a bunch of jagged rubble
Is just a bunch of jagged rubble
Where you don’t even get the opportunity to have fun
I look at you
How do you even describe the word fun
And I see a person
In a way that I can understand
Who fights
And that mask on your face
For hope
I’ve written all of this and I can’t even see your face
And as I look at you
And yet
y
I think to myself
I think to myself
I know
What do I really see?
That if you take that mask off
What I really see is a child
You will be killed
With no enjoyable childhood
And when I ever put on a mask
And risking his life
It is for the joy of skiing
For what he thinks is right
On the great mountains in Colorado
If I had that gun
If I had that gun
Oh yeah
That you forcefully hold up
I’m talking to you
In the air
Who will never get to feel what I describe as joy
I would be punished
Even when I fall
Instead
When I’m skiing
You are encouraged
I get back up
With your dad
As for you
As for you
Holding you up in the air
Who will one time
With pride
Fall
Like how proud my dad is when
And never get up again
I get an A+ on a huge project
If only
Even though
I was there
We are in different scenarios
To stand by you
To stand by you
We have the same feelings
For
You are fighting for
Not the differences of us
What your definition of right is
But for the similarities
I fight
That bring us together
For the ball

18. 100 Generations
By: Dylan
B Dl

19. It’s What Surrounds You
I m sorry
I’m sorry
That you have to live in such a time
So much hatred and war revolve around you
Palestinian suicide bombers remove the lives of many
You see and hear explosions every day
You see and hear explosions every day
Gun fire as well
And violence is just a daily thing
In a place where
y g
Wherever you go
You hear the sounds of soldiers marching
You feel the pain of people mourning
And you can’t shake the sense of utter hopelessness
I can’t even imagine
What it would be like
To have all this hatred surround me
I’m sure you see blood almost every day
I think
You shouldn’t have to.
h ld ’ h
By Brandon

20. Can’t We Live as Destruction
All around me
One? Rocks all around
b b
A bomb goes off ff
By I trip over my clumsy feet
I feel as if I’m falling
Like there is no bottom to this endless plunge
Katharine The ice cold wind bites my cheeks
Young kids run and play in the streets
Parents watch and smile
As if nothing is wrong
As if everything is all right
Even though I feel as if I’m still falling
A bus blows up nearby
Children and parents scream
I drag my feet along the ground
The soldiers yell words in a language I don’t understand
My arms ache
I don’t know where I’m going
I stumble again
But I stumble on a rock this time
I feel pain in my left leg
The soldiers look down
They whisper words quietly among themselves
I still don’t understand
The sky turns a deep gray and rain begins to fall
My leg stings from the rain water rushing down from the sky
I believe that my Jadd and Jaddah are crying
Crying for me
Crying for the horrible things that happen down here
In this Holy Land
y
I want to be with them
I want to cry with them for I don’t wish to stay down here
I want to know what it is like up there
But mostly,
I don’t want to be here on earth
I would go any place that is not here
p y p
The clouds part in the sky and the rain comes to a stop
My leg feels better
The soldiers let go of me
I’m unaware of where I am
It’s dark and cold
And as soon as I know it
I’m floating up there with just memories
That will soon be
Forgotten.

21. Alessandra
Little Brother
Little Brother is what I call you
don t feeling,
I don’t know what you are feeling
Do you really know what is going on?
Or who you are fighting for?
You look brave,
But how would I know? Little Brother
I am just your big sister, The bandana around your head,
Up in here in heaven I gave it to you
Little Brother It shows who you are fighting for
You’re not old enough to have a gun! Little Brother
Point it in the air if you must The fighting,
Point it at a soldier if you must It’s a curse
Just know Spread among you and your people
They’re going to point it It won’t stop
Back at you Until you do
Little Brother Little Brother
That s
That’s the way they are I’m sorr I left so soon
sorry
They walk around It was my way to show you
Looking so cool What path you must choose
Acting tough Little Brother
I wish it was me Don’t be mad at me
And I really am
Not you Truly sorry

22. To the little Palestinian girl
Gazing with those huge brown eyes like those of a doe
What are you staring at?
With so much fear in your eyes
As if you are running from the shadows of death
Are you staring at the destruction of your home?
Or are you staring at the grave
of one of your family members?
Are you staring at the soldiers killing an innocent child in cold blood?
Without any remorse clouding their gazes
Are
A you hearing the screams of these innocent people?
h h f h l ?
Are you worried it will be you or your family next?
To the little Palestinian girl
Gazing with those huge brown eyes like those of a doe
What is going through your mind right now?
Do your thoughts spark the same fear that is in your eyes?
Are you wondering what is going on right now?
Wondering why are so many people being killed?
Do you miss some of your friends, who may have died?
You lost your childhood innocence when you saw your first death.
I am sure that the little flame you are holding
sure,
Is your hope for a better future.
-Eesha The Little Palestinian Girl

23. James

24. My sons
I may just be a voice in your head
But I am very much real
The world around us spins and turns
Just to see you
my sons
You do such things
That could get you killed
Even for justice and freedom
You may only be a couple of children
But your power in a rock is your pride
For even in times of no wisdom
You can only hope that this crime will
free your country
From Israel’s grasp
For you my sons are only three people
Making a change for your crazy
country
My sons
I hear the soldiers chasing in order to
take your heads
I see them nearing to where you stand
I see them nearing to where you stand
You should try to run away
For although your ideas may be bleak
Your freedom is your pride
You ask for others to return your land
But I may tell you now
That violence is not only the incorrect
answer
But this is a war you cannot win
Why don’t you try to cooperate?
And time will fix your problem
My sons
Will you let me tell you now
That there is no way that you can win
Why waste your life
To help your clan
When you have no fighting chance
For words are heard only in your head
That lingers in your brain’s distant sky
For my sons you guys are not quite
thinking
You could do such more if you would
sit down
And devise a plan
BY: Michael

26. Dear Son,
I wish I was with you
That I could help
but I am gone forever
forever.
You will cry and grieve
By: Sara
Ma a differe
and your heart will be heavy with
ake a
sorrow .
You may feel deserted and alone in
all this violence
violence.
Still, make a change in the
atmosphere.
Make it happy and cheerful. rence
Fill our home with peace
Not ith i f d
N t with grief and anguish
i h
Love,
Your Mother

27. One Rock
By: Sasha
My sun, my star, my life
Will never again awaken
His w m
Hi warm, loving eyes will not shine,
eye hine
Like they used to
Now they are closed
And never will open
His red cheeks full of life
Now pale, and cold
Lifeless
One rock is all it took
To take away his life
My child was standing up
For his land
For me
Yet punished
One time he threw a rock
Just once
Why did you have to son?
Why live
If you hate life
Why cry
If it foolish
Why wait
If nothing pleasant is waiting
Just sadness and darkness
Overcoming me
A punishment
For what
Throwing that one rock
But now,
It doesn’t matter anymore
His life
Washed away
Him lying in
Cold, hard darkness
With nothing
My light
He’s gone forever
My life
Will never move again
Because of that one rock.

28. That candle
By Nichole
y
It was always that one
candle that made me think.
It would make me think
of the past
and h
d how my mother would always say
th ld l
that my brother would come back
to visit me
that he is fighting
so that we may always live
in peace
peace.
It was that one
candle that made me think.
It made me think that I would always have
a light that would guide my family and I
through a better life
with peace and forgiveness.
It was that one candle
that made me think.
Of the times where I could smell
the smoke from the fire that almost killed
my sister but she lived
lived.
It was that one candle
that made me think.
About those good and bad times that
will never leave my heart.

30. g{x jÉÜwá aÉà fÑÉ~xÇ
U f
Uç ftÅ
Young girl,
I have heard your words
I have understood your thoughts
And I stand here
With the smell of dry blood
Wafting through the debris-filled air
The deep growl of the dozer
Flusters my mind
On the beautiful eerie filled day
That is now mine.
I live here to watch my village,
My people
Scooped up
By a wicked bulldozer
And dumped where the world is still
And no one cares
But young girl is it me?
Is it I who has done this
To your family?
Was it my people?
You won’t know
And I won’t know
But what we both do know
Is that we do not deserve this;
This never-ending war life
So I tell you little girl,
That I wish good thoughts
For you and your family
And I wish that you will pray for mine
Or at least what is left,
Of our family.

31. I wonder where you’re going.
As I see your tiny faces rolling by.
Your treated this way because you’re
Jewish.
I say to myself, as I see your tiny faces rolling by.
What was wrong with Hitler and his deranged mind
He is someone that lived in a world of darkness.
.
I say to myself, as I see your tiny faces rolling by.
Why aren’t I helping you?
Speaking up
I ask myself, as a see your tiny faces rolling by.
Im
I’m one in a big world full of many.
I know people say take part in the change they want to happen
But what can I do to help
I ask you, as I see your tiny faces rolling by.
I cannot do anything for you
I m sorry,
I’m sorry
As I see your tiny faces rolling by.
Where your parents just buried just
Dumped in a hole.
I ask myself as I see your tiny faces rolling b
k lf f ll by.
I’m sorry.
As I see your tiny, instant faces rolling by.

32. You are not the rightful owner of
You are not the rightful owner of
This Holy Land
I will defend what is right
And you can not stop me
Little dirty Palestinian
Standing there
With your sticks and stones
This is You have lost
For we are the boss
Now
our
After all that suffering
My father’s dream
Will become a reality
A d h h l ld ill
And the whole world will see
Country
The injustice that has come to
Be
Yet finally
We have conquered
Now This holy land
The military force
The military force
you will never understand
Is what I will use to enforce
The Jewish law
And I will help shape
The country
That belongs to us all
That belongs to us all
The Jews
And the whole world will see
The fact that was meant to be
Wooyoung
This is our country now!

33. By Michael
By Michael
i smell
i see
the conflict polluting
two boys
the air
who
could’ve
and i sense
might ve
might’ve
God’s presence in
should’ve
both of you
been best friends
i am sorry
i see
you can’t be friends
two boys
who live
h li
i am sorry
right next to each other
you have to
but might as well
live your life
live in separate worlds
in fear of what
could or might
i hear
happen
God calling them
asking them
i am sorry
to learn
you feel
that they are both
you need a
human beings
gun
i touch
And I am sorry
the gun
that you
wondering why
two boys
the boy feels he needs it
can’t be friends

34. I’m scared
Afraid
Worried, But that little voice inside me tells me to
not give up
t i
That little voice inside me, tells me this is the beginning
That mysterious little voice
That tiny little voice tells me to walk forward and
not look back on the past
It tells me to hide from the bombers, not to attack,
because this is over,
for now
That little voice, telling me what to do,
helping me
h l
I believe these are all messages from God,
he looks after me, he cares
He’s on my side, and we will get
back at those terrorists
Thank you God,
together we will get up and get
Back at them,
We’ll be unstoppable, just like
Two gods
-Gretchen

35. Why Not?
By Jessie
So why can t we?
can’t
They were at the land
That’s rightfully ours
So now
Why is this wrong? They t thi
Th get nothing
I’m just playing
I’m practicing That flag over there,
for when I grow up is why I’m here,
when I will be able to protect
my country Practicing
P i i
and show the Palestinians holding that rock solid gun
what we’re made of in my young hands
It feels amazing
You can
to smell the rusty smell
and feel the power tell us
of a gun to stop
fighting
It d
doesn’t matter
’t tt but we
that we could hurt the
Palestinians, won’t
why not? until
They send suicide bombers in they
everyday do
And hurt us

36. Why
Is this happening?
I wish I could live carefree.
I should be able to
Bounce a ball
and not fear I might get
and not fear I might get
murdered.
I should feel the security
Of my home
And family.
I know
The sounds of destruction
Bombs,
Killing,
Cries,
Better than the sounds of
The birds that sing
“Why?”
She sobs.
My mother’s tears
Let me know
This time
is different.
i diff t
So personal.
Why
was I born
Palestinian?
Is it my fate
Is it my fate
to become a martyr?
Why
Do I sit and
Look toward our home
Stare at the new rubble that
Lays on the ground?
I don’t understand
Human rights
By Conflict
Israel’s power
Holy land
Endless war
Ty Why
Don’t I know
Peace?

37. _|ààÄx U
_|ààÄ UÉç tÇw g{x _|ààÄ e ~
w g{ _|ààÄx eÉv~
By: YeonJae Lee
I know I can’t hurt you with my rock
But I want you to know
How I feel
feel.
Can we ever be friends?
Can we forget the past?
Can we share?
I know I can’t hurt you with my little rock but
y
I will try.
I don’t think we can be friends
I don’t think we can forget the past
I don’t think we can share
I know I can’t hurt you with my rock
But I want you to know
How I feel
H f l
I want to be your friend
I want to forget the ugly past
I want to share my land
I know I can’t hurt you with my rock
But I will try until we are friends
friends.
I know I can’t hurt you with my rock
As your big gray tank looks down at me
I want you to climb out so we can talk
I want you to know the real me
Not the me with rock
I know I can’t hurt you with my rock
And I will put it down so we can be friends.

38. YOURS OR MINE?
Running, feet Soldiers yelling “get out of
slapping the
l i th the way”
way,
ground, Tanks,
The exhaust, An unmovable force,
Like the breath of a Just a boy, compared,
devil, To tank,
T at k
Sounds that most Like a bug
people only hear in Under a human foot,
movies, , Does there have to be a
Tanks the size of a war?
large sheds, Why can’t we get along?
Rocks and bombs is Why?
all we have to fight
By Mason
back,
What to do next,
Run away, throw the
rock,
k
Stand still,
And die here,