I Long for My Old World – A Poem from Gaza

By Taqwa Ahmed al-Wawi

I long for Gaza, before the war,
For the stories my grandfather used to tell, that warmed our winter nights,
For my grandfather’s house, where peace was in every corner,
For the trees in the garden he watered with his own hands every morning,
And for the second room, his own space, where no one else ever went.

I long for my uncle’s house,
Where my aunt and I spent so many happy times,
I long for my uncle, my cousin, and my other cousin,
For the moments I sat beside my uncle,
With my cousin and cousin beside me,
Listening to his gentle voice as he talked about life, Gaza, and family,
How we lived in days we didn’t understand were so special until they were gone,
For the quiet talks with family, and the laughter that filled our home.

I long for my loved ones,
For the faces that used to fill our house,
For those who brought life into our world.

I long for my friends,
For our long conversations —
About our plans, books we shared,
And whether we’d ever see snow in Gaza.

I long for my school, where hope filled each day,
For my university, the Islamic University, where my future began,
For my teachers, who told me I had to speak English,
Who reminded me that making mistakes is halal.

I long for the streets we walked, full of dreams,
And for the mosques where our prayers reached up to the sky.

I long for the simple life we had,
For the moments that passed without us realizing how precious they were,
For the safety that once surrounded Gaza,
And for the peace that filled our mornings.

To Fridays with the big chicken dish,
The whole family gathered around the table,
Laughter filling the air,
For our Fridays, when home felt like a world we never wanted to leave.

To those days, when we didn’t know what loss meant.

But most of all, I long for the old version of myself,
The girl who smiled without fear,
Who dreamed without limits,
Who lived with hope.
The “Taqwa” who was whole, before pain, sorrow, and loss changed everything.

I long for the girl who saw each new day as a chance,
Not a wall.
The girl who believed in a future full of promise,
Before the wars tore my dreams apart,
And left them lost among the ruins.

– Taqwa Ahmed al-Wawi is an aspiring writer and student of English literature at the Islamic University of Gaza, carving her path in a city that speaks the language of resilience. She contributed this article to the Palestine Chronicle.