Column Basman Elderawi
The smell of fresh hope
In Switzerland,
At the stage,
My friend, Helen asked
What does Gaza smell like?
A flash back starts
I am walking near a falafel shop
The smell invades my nose
Going to the west toward Gaza port
I went by Konafa shop
Melting as if I were a cheese inside it
Run from the hum noise of generators
The oily, gas smell
To my angry, calm friend, to the sea
And its smell
Falafel
In Gaza,
At the quarantine,
I am sitting staring at
The wall
I open my photo studio
I close my eyes
A flash back starts
I am walking by Zurich lake
A goose moves her legs freely
I taste the fresh air
A guy plays with his guitar
While I am standing there
Nodding my head
Swans on Zurich Lake credit Manuella Leonhard
How does Gaza smell?
How does Switzerland smell?
The whole world smells fear
Gaza is no exception
Yet older with her fear
In Gaza, I miss the smell of freedom
I run from the smell of generator
In Switzerland, I miss my falafel and Konafa
And my sea
Now, I miss the smell of fresh hope
I miss the smell of streets, clean ones
And dirty ones
Zurich by sunset – credit photo Manuela Leonhard
