Book Review: The Enemy of the Sun: Poetry of Palestinian Resistance

posted on: Dec 24, 2025

Book Review: The Enemy of the Sun: Poetry of Palestinian Resistance–Translated and Edited by Nasser Aruri and Edmund Ghareeb–Seven Stories Press, New York, Oakland, and London, 2025.

By Ghassan Rubeiz / Arab America Contributing Writer

Palestinian poets have been effective in delivering powerful moral and political messages to the world community and to the occupier, in particular. Political poetry is a form of creative and peaceful struggle. Such poetry of resistance is a form of literature that extends beyond a specific culture or locality, connecting with universal themes of response to injustice.

The Enemy of the Sun: Poetry of Palestinian Resistance is a timely collection—a precious gathering of mostly Palestinian free-verse poems translated from Arabic into English. Palestinian poets remind the world that to ignore the collective murder of their innocent civilians and the rapid stealing of their land is to forget that their people have inalienable rights. The book conveys the sacred humanity of a nation under oppression. When two visionary scholars collaborate on a project, the outcome has a multiplier effect.

Within its 234 pages the reader experiences a prophetic rebellion: a creative form of resistance to Israel’s territorial occupation and suppression of Palestinian self-determination, a challenge to Arab tradition, and a promise to change the future no matter how long it takes or how difficult the struggle becomes.

The book first appeared in the 1970s, was well received, and went out of print within a few years. It has reemerged this year in an expanded and updated edition featuring additional poets, themes, and issues. The 29 poems added to the original collection come from Palestinian Americans, Gaza, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. Some of the poems carry more weight and emotion than others.

The editing and translation are the labor of love of two distinguished Arab American scholars—Jerusalem-born Palestinian American Nasser Aruri (now deceased) and Lebanese American Edmund Ghareeb. Ghareeb’s introductory chapter, which includes how modern Arab literature relates to Palestinian poetry, is particularly illuminating.

The book is organized in two sections. The first, “The Weapon of Poetry,” offers three interpretive essays that tell how the book came about, why it was reprinted and updated, its political significance and timeliness, and how it connects with other international forms of resistance poetry. The book particularly links Palestinian with African American literature and promotes solidarity between the Palestinian and Black American movements.

The remainder presents a rich anthology of poetry by 26 poets, including Mahmoud Darwish, Samih al-Qasim, Fadwa Tuqan, Kamal Nasser, Tawfiq Zayyad, and Nizar Qabbani.

At the end of this anthology, there is valuable background information on each poet.

The book should make an excellent seasonal gift; several poems invoke suitable biblical and other spiritual themes.