Batool Abu Akleen is a poet and translator from Gaza, Palestine. At fifteen, she won the Barjeel Poetry Prize for her poem ‘It Wasn’t Me Who Stole the Cloud’, which was included in the Italian anthology Of Water and Time. 

Her poetry has been translated into multiple languages, including English and Italian, and has appeared in numerous international publications. 

Presenting one of her poems, “End the War,” here:

End…

A trill escapes from my mother's mouth

End…

A smile sprouts from my father's lips

End…

Little feet dance

End…

The displaced embrace

End…

Tears flow from my eyeballs

End…

My heart expands

End…

A house collapses

End…

The Apache shoots

End…

A martyr falls

End…

The ambulance grows louder

End…

Tears flow from my eyeballs

End…

My heart contracts

The broadcaster continues:

End to negotiations

The War continues

Period.