Naomi Shihab Nye poem notes

• Contemporary, American poet
• No rhyme scheme
• Free verse
• Narrative, tells a story
• Autobiographical
• Writes a lot about her family and people -- connection
• Includes a lot about nature -- refer to peace
• Historical time period -- Israeli-Palestinian conflict
• Father -- Palestinian Mother -- American Grandma -- still live in Palestine

Blood:
A true Arab cath... it shows patient, fast, precise. (comparison between how American view them）

True Arabs believed watermelon -- it shows the faith, believe in healing.

a good name, borrowed from the sky... Once I said, “When we die, we give it back?”give back--- show Child's innocence/nature

The child in the beginning did not notice that they were actually Arab.

Started from the fourth stanza, the narrative is the elder Naomi Shihab Nye.

The Words Under the Words:
When I was sick they followed me,
I woke from the long fever to find them  -- goal was a symbol?

She waits by the oven -- her son was in America, and rarely sent a letter to her

My grandmother’s voice says nothing can surprise her. -- Her grandma is brave

Farewell to the husband’s coat, -- her grandpa died

My grandmother’s eyes say Allah is everywhere, even in death.  -- belief