Butterflies in Gaza (2026)
Sometimes, often, when observing injustices in the world, it is overwhelmingly difficult to know what to say, and where to place it.
Christopher Okemwa, the writer and editor based in Kisii, Kenya, has assembled Butterflies in Gaza, a world anthology of poems on peace. I am very happy that my works IT’S A LACK OF, and WHAT-IF have been included.
Published by Nsemia Inc. Publishers, the works have been assembled alphabetically by the first name of each author. This placement further emphasizes Christopher’s objectives of creating an anthology that “ is not a political platform, campaign, or newsletter, rather, it evokes empathy, compassion, and awareness. Through poetry, it honours the pain and suffering of those affected by the conflict: the dead, the bereaved, the displaced, and the innocent victims—especially children, women, and the vulnerable. …” The objectives of the volume are particularly evident when reading Mati Shemoel, of Turkey’s ‘ZERO YEARS OLD: PALESTINIAN KIDS WHO DIDN’T LIVE UP TO THEIR FIRST BIRTHDAY. The entry runs from pp. 258-279. …
Thank you, Christopher for gathering the works together, and for including my work there. The volume was difficult to receive in Canada and finally I had to rely on an American provider to get my copy.