#yahya ashour

[fiercynn]

palestinian poets: yahya ashour

yahya ashour is a touring poet and an awarded author.

ashour was born on april 22nd, 1998 in gaza, where he grew up and continuously resided until september 2023, when he came to the united states to participate in a festival, and wasn't able to go back home since the beginning of the genocide in gaza. he is currently staying in saline, michigan.

ashour was a 2022 university of iowa fellow and is a current 2024 mizna fellow. he has been published in numerous outlets around the world in arabic and in translation, and his first two books were the 2018 poetry collection لهذا ريان يمشي هكذا and the 2021 children's book لهذا ريان يمشي هكذا. he has also taught creative writing and literacy skills to both children and adults at various community organizations in gaza.

on march 29, 2024, ashour released A Gaza of Siege & Genocide: excerpts, a poetry book in english written and illustrated by him and published by mizna. all proceeds from this collection go to helping ashour's nineteen family members escape genocide, so please, please, please purchase this e-book before you read his other poetry, and give generously if you can.

since fall 2023, he has been reading poetry and talking across the united states about the genocide in gaza. his poetry reading is called: “What the World’s Silence Says: A Reading With Gazan Poet Yahya Ashour”. his current tour schedule and and ways to contact him are all listed at his website. he is also looking to be connected with any university, speaking organization, or media outlet around the world that might be interested in having him speak in-person or online about the book, so please get him touch with him if you have any leads.

IF YOU READ JUST ONE POEM BY YAHYA ASHOUR, MAKE IT THIS ONE

A Gaza of Siege & Genocide - Mizna

Upon arriving in the US for the Palestine Writes Conference in September 2023, Gazan poet Yahya Ashour could have never … Continue reading "

OTHER WRITING ONLINE I LOVE BY YAHYA ASHOUR

so the war would know i'm here, short film directed by andrew burgess of ashour reading aloud two poems translated into english

Gaza Under Siege (translated from arabic to english by atef alshaer) at poetry translation centre

From loss to solitude and not the other way around!, an essay in 28 magazine's special issue "coronaphone"

Enjoy the Rain at iowa writers' program

you can find the full list of poets featured in this series here!

[edwordsmyth]

Yahya Ashour

[bones-ivy-breath]

At one time we think we are in a boat and the entire world around us is fish and at another we see we are but a jungle and the entire world around us a sniper

Gaza Under Siege by Yahya Ashour (tr. Atef Alshaer)

[inhernature]

My father taught me how to write: / على قد لحافك، مد رجليك.

Yahya Ashour

My father taught me how to write: على قد لحافك، مد رجليك. Extend your legs as far as your blanket.

When I find parts of my poems   exposed, I amputate them.

I keep them tucked in   light or night, away from those hunting   for lines that don’t fit their blankets not realizing poetry lies

in a poet’s satisfaction with their blanket.

In my pursuit of tender lines, I’ve become a butcher, committing crimes against myself for the sake of  beauty.

Copyright © 2026 by Yahya Ashour. Originally published in Poem-a-Day on May 20, 2026, by the Academy of American Poets.

[arablit]

New Poetry in Translation: Yahya Ashour's 'When a Missile Lands'

This poem appeared in the “THIS MOMENT” section of our Gaza! Gaza! Gaza! issue, produced together with Majalla 28. When a Missile Lands  By Yahya Ashour Translated by Khaled Rajeh   When a missile lands by my house I hope that in its haste it can see that I have long braced myself in a grave dug by fear and not a bed When the missile lands I say, finally, death has come but death, to my…

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