The fifth poem in our Palestine Advent series is by the Palestinian poet Maya Abu Al-Hayyat, translated by Fady Joudah.
I Suffer a Phobia Called Hope, by Maya Abu Al-Hayyat
Maya Abu Al-Hayyat is a Palestinian poet, novelist and educator. She is the author of four collections of poems, including You Can Be the Last Leaf (Milkweed, 2022), translated by Fady Joudah; and four novels, including No One Knows His Blood Type (Dar Al-Adab, 2013).
She is the director of Palestine Writing Workshop, an institution that seeks to encourage reading in Palestinian communities through creative writing projects and storytelling with children and teachers.
With thanks to Chris Rose and Natalie Jabbar for giving me this idea.
Lifesaving Poems 