You may take my hands and lock them in your chains You may also blindfold me.

You bereaved me from the light and I marched You robbed me of the bread and I ate. You plundered the land from me and I ploughed.

I am the son of the land and for that I find goodness in this earth anywhere I happen to be: The ants of this land feed me The branches of this land foster me The eagles of this land will shield my open revolt

Yes You may take my hands And lock them in your chains You may also blindfold me But here I will stand tall And here I shall remain until the very end.

(April, 1970)

source: palestineinsight.net From: El Azmar, Fouzi. POEMS FROM AN ISRAELI PRISON. Intro. By Israel Shahak. New York: KNOW Books, 1973.