If I Must Die
Palestine

If I Must Die

by Refaat Alareer

Freedom & Resistance Poetry 2024

Summary

If I Must Die: Poetry and Prose is a collection of poems, essays, and short writings by Palestinian writer and academic Refaat Alareer, bringing together his reflections on life in Gaza, the experience of occupation, and the enduring importance of storytelling. Through intimate personal accounts and powerful literary expression, Alareer explores grief, displacement, resistance, and the determination to preserve Palestinian identity amid violence and destruction. The collection includes his internationally known poem “If I Must Die,” which imagines a kite as a symbol of hope and a message to the world. Combining political urgency with tenderness and humanity, the book bears witness to the experiences of Palestinians while celebrating their cultural heritage, collective memory, and desire for freedom. It stands as both a literary testament and a call to remember the human lives behind the headlines.

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Country
Palestine
Asia
About the author
Refaat Alareer
Refaat Alareer

Refaat Alareer (1979–2023) was a Palestinian writer, poet, editor, and professor of English literature from Gaza. He taught English literature and creative writing at the Islamic University of Gaza and helped mentor a generation of young Palestinian writers. Through his teaching and literary work, he sought to document everyday life under occupation and give Palestinian voices a wider international audience. He co-edited Gaza Writes Back (2014), a collection of short stories by young Palestinian writers responding to life in Gaza, and Gaza Unsilenced (2015), a collection of essays and testimonies. His poetry explored family, loss, displacement, resistance, and the importance of storytelling in preserving collective memory. His poem If I Must Die, written in 2011, gained international attention following his death during the Israel–Hamas war in December 2023. Alareer’s work remains closely associated with the power of literature to bear witness to suffering, affirm cultural identity, and preserve the experiences of people living through conflict.

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Details
Published
2024
Author
Refaat Alareer