jordan pulse -

Your bloodied shoe in the “mother of rubble” and the “mother of war” and the “mother of occupation” — your shoe, Saleh, with which you combed every pore of Gaza as you fought against time; it now writes your journey filled with blood and hunger and rage and the smiles that rise above every pain. The ceasefire stands in Gaza… yet they wrote in the secret clause of the agreement: exclude Saleh’s chest — because you are the great witness and the greatest exposer of every crime that passed before you, which you kept silent about only to relay to us hours later..! And those “only hours” did not come except to expose in you their greatest crime. You sought it and achieved it, but the appointments failed you and failed us with you… timing was murderous and conspired with those who killed you…!

Blessed is the dark-skinned son who covered sea and land of Gaza with his presence — what a rising, scattered zeal you were… Die not as you wish in the chaos of betrayals that know no knight or steed or sword, no provision of the soul, nor any dignified end. Die because you outpaced them up two great mountains that became yours: the mountain of victory and the mountain of martyrdom… and had you glanced back a little you would have seen that they didn’t move a single step in the race…!

O great seeker of a warm, fresh loaf of bread after two years of dormancy and thirst… with your Lord is all the fresh bread. With your Lord is more than you desire, and now you drown in boundless bliss that will be granted to you before your eyes can blink.

O Saleh… O the ache of all alleys… and the tears of those who knew you and loved you… O you who hold the earth with trembling hands… watch over us, for the great scenes are yet to come.

Farewell, O witness and martyr… O absent and present… O departed and remaining…