Some things never leave you

In Some Things Never Leave You, Palestinian American poet Zeina Azzam writes about forced displacement, cultural identity, memory, and the depth and meaning of human connections. The book comprises three parts: 1) “Reclaiming the Oasis” addresses Azzam's personal and interpersonal experiences as an immigrant and a child of Palestinian refugees, with themes centering identity, childhood, and family; 2) “The Reach of Injustice” explores war, occupation, and displacement, with poems about Palestine and other Arab countries; and 3) “Hugging the Tree” includes poems about nature, music, and the moon, skies, and other wondrous things. The title of the collection is a line from a poem about the author’s late mother, referring to the profound memories of Palestine that never left her. The cover art is by Palestinian visual artist Samar Hussaini, whose abstract work features embedded fragments of Palestinian embroidery. Azzam’s approach is both tender and searing; it is ultimately redemptive and joyful as she celebrates resilience, the way loving relationships nourish us, and how nature and the arts can offer spiritual solace.