When the Sun Becomes Shrapnel by Ahmad Ibsais

I want to be like those
Who worship the sacred sun
Our children catch its rays through rifle sights
Seconds before becoming light

So beautiful, the morning
So divine, they say
But daybreak bleeds through bullet holes

Each morning paints our graves gold
Nature's brutal tenderness
Children chase warmth through bombed hospitals
Seconds before joining stars

They capture our burning horizon
Call it breathtaking art
Not knowing each sunset
Is colored by children's blood

The sun sets like a promise
While poets pen their gentle verses
One day I'll write about daylight
When it stops illuminating the grave

Ahmad Ibsais is a Palestinian-American and first generation student. Currently in law school, Ahmad hopes to use his words to cement the memory of his people as they fight their erasure. Ahmad actively writes for Al Jazeera, The Guardian, and other outlets as well as his newsletter State of Siege.

1 September 2025