EXHAUSTED ON THE CROSS: BOOK REVIEW
The ethnic cleansing campaigns against Palestinians are indescribably abhorrent. While heart-wrenching to see, there is a renewed sense of hope that the international attention finally garnered after decades of activism will create a tide of change— there is a feeling that the world is watching this time. It is important to acknowledge the endless work and sacrifice Palestinians have put towards liberation. Many Palestinian artists and writers evoked this change, decades before and continue to do so in this moment. Najwan Darwish is one of these figures. He is a Palestinian poet from Jerusalem, and writes of his experiences in the book Exhausted on the cross. His work is riveting, but also unsettling. Darwish keeps readers at the edge of their seats through his literary craft and by simply detailing his lived experiences.
Darwish’s words ebb and flow between poetry and prose, fusing the qualities of both to create the essence of his work. Stylistically speaking, Darwish is courageous. He doesn’t stick to one medium of writing. As you read through his work, you never know what to expect next. His mastery is shown through his various forms, a multitude of lengths, structures, and literary devices. There are no boundaries, no limits to his writing.
The bittersweet nostalgia of Darwish’s poems is striking. But the prickling premonitions of the future, especially reading his anxieties in this current moment override any emotions; “In Shatila”, he writes about an old Palestinian woman from Haifa and states “You know you won’t see her again She won’t be there when you head back to Haifa What did she tell you as she said her goodbyes?” Without directly mentioning displacement and settler-colonization campaigns, Darwish alludes to it and the atrocities that follow. He shows how one's everyday sense of normalcy, and connection to those around them, are completely shaken.
Throughout the last week, Palestinian activists have drawn attention to the families killed. Many of these family members tend to be young. Darwish also highlights the immense impact settler-colonialism has on Palestinian children. His literary technique and jarring imagery are unforgettable. In his novel, human rights abuses are committed so often that the difference cannot be told between a child that is “sleeping” and one that has been “murdered.” Even though Darwish writes of blissful moments, it is impossible to brush over lines like these.
Through religious allusions, descriptions of settler-colonialism, and admiration for culture, Darwish takes readers around the world to show them both beauty and anguish. Acknowledging injustice through such vivid display and powerful vocabulary is an inherent quality of his literary craft. His words will leave you speechless, and his poetry is an opportunity to gain deeper, emotional insight into the Palestinian cause.
