Sometimes I feel as if I am read before I write. When I write a poem about my mother, Palestinians think my mother is a symbol for Palestine. But I write as a poet, and my mother is my mother. She's not a symbol.

If the Olive Trees knew the hands that planted them, Their Oil would become Tears.

We are captives, even if our wheat grows over the fences/ and swallows rise from our broken chains./ We are captives of what we love, what we desire, and what we are.

When a writer declares that his first book is his best, that is bad. I progress successively from book to book.

To be under occupation, to be under siege, is not a good inspiration for poetry.

I never wanted children, maybe I'm afraid of responsibility.

Far away, our dreams have nothing to do with what we do. The wind carries the night, and passes on, aimless.