Left us too soon

I often heard his name growing up. I heard people around me discuss his poems and his prose. I loved the way that Marcel sang his beautiful poems. But the inevitable happened, and Mahmoud Darwish left us today.

I was sad as if a close friend or relative had passed away. Darwish was the ambassador of Palestinian refugees to the world. His clever words described the feelings, and experiences of thousands like nobody else could have done.

My sadness stems from the realization that there is no replacement for such genius. The ranks of the likes of Mahmoud Darwish and Edward Said are on the decline, without replacement in sight. One hopes that Darwish’s poems will serve as an inspiration to young talents, waiting to fill the giant gap.