What I Will ... By Suheir Hammad

I will not dance 
To your war drum 

I will not lend my soul 
Nor my bones 
To your war drum 

I will not dance to your beating 

I know that beat

It is lifeless 

I know intimately 
That skin you are hitting  

It was alive once

Hunted 
Stolen

Stretched 

I will not dance to your drummed up war 

I will not 
Pop

Spin 
Beak 
For you 

I will not hate for you 
Or even hate you 

I will not kill for you 

Especially

I will not die for you 

I will not mourn the dead 
With murder nor suicide 

I will not side with you 
Nor dance to bombs

Because everyone else is dancing 

Everyone can be wrong 

Life is a right 
Not collateral 
Or casual 

I will not forget where I come from 

I will craft my own drum 
Gather my beloved near 
And our chanting will be dancing 

Our humming will be drumming 
I will not be played 
I will not lend my name

Nor my rhythm to your beat 

I will dance

And resist 
And dance 
And persist 
And dance

This heartbeat is louder than death

Your war drum ain't louder than this breath