Location: Gaza, Palestine a week after the ceasefire Photograph: Duha Hasan

Poem: “Balsam"

Eva Abu Mariam reciting her poem titled “Balsam” in Gaza

Balsam

In Arabic Balsam means anything that eases the pain, softens the heart, and heals the body

Rise from death, you alone, 

Rise.

Walk me

through the heavy days of war

Walk me

Through its fog

Be my balm of the soul

And when the final whistle blows

Be far above this ugliness

Leave this world 

Arise from its cruelty

To your heavenly sky...

To your heavenly sky.

(To Balsam who left me too early)