{"id":36399,"date":"2025-03-07T12:30:03","date_gmt":"2025-03-07T10:30:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/themarkaz.org\/oldmarkaz\/?p=36399"},"modified":"2025-03-07T12:30:11","modified_gmt":"2025-03-07T10:30:11","slug":"a-conversation-among-my-homelands-trees","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/themarkaz.org\/oldmarkaz\/a-conversation-among-my-homelands-trees\/","title":{"rendered":"A Conversation Among My Homeland\u2019s Trees"},"content":{"rendered":"
If only Palestine\u2019s silent witnesses to war, occupation, resistance, love and birth\u2014and existence\u2014could talk.<\/h5>\n

 <\/p>\n

Alia Yunis<\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Trees spoke to each other through the strong wind rustling through their leaves, above the screams, the fires, the bombs, the droughts. They spoke across the seas, rivers, mountains, oasis, forests, and streams of my homeland, across the snow, the desert, the changing seasons.<\/p>\n

I heard their conversation from where I hid underneath my favorite Olive Tree, away from the missiles flying over the treetops, the rooftop of my house and the darkened skies of my sun-drenched birthplace. This is what I heard them say, as I stayed planted underneath the olive tree, clinging to my zaatar and bread.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, your branches are creaking too much tonight,\u201d the Olive Tree complained to the Cedar of Lebanon. \u201cThat kid sleeping underneath me has enough noise from humans to deal with.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not like I\u2019m doing it on purpose,\u201d said the Cedar of Lebanon said, defensive. \u201cI can\u2019t control the weather or the wars. Or even my own existence. There\u2019s not even enough of my family left to fight off the insects, like we used to back in the old days.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d said the Olive Tree as she looked at the holes chewed in so many of her leaves. \u201cI\u2019m trying to survive so many parasites now \u2014 and still protect these humans. And you can\u2019t help me at all anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAgain, not my fault. If I could, I would build that kid a bed from these creaky branches you\u2019re complaining about,\u201d the Cedar of Lebanon answered, waving her branches east and west. \u201cBut nowadays I can\u2019t spare any body parts.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI would never ask you to do that,\u201d the Olive Tree said. \u201cYou must stay alive. You \u2014 all of us trees \u2014 are the proof that these humans have been here all along. Otherwise, who has pressed my olives all these millennia, if not them?<\/p>\n

The Cedar of Lebanon agreed. \u201cAnd they say you make the best oil.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Olive Tree was flattered, as the Cedar of Lebanon intended. \u201cI owe the humans my good taste,\u201d the Olive Tree admitted. \u201cThey take good care of me. And for 4,000 years, I\u2019ve done my best to remain steadfast, no matter who comes to occupy this land.\u00a0 I\u2019m these humans longest-living ancestor, their heritage. I am their agri-culture<\/em>, get it?\u201d<\/p>\n

The Cedar of Lebanon chuckled, despite having heard this a few hundred times. There was just something comforting about the familiarity. \u201cYou\u2019ve been telling this stupid old joke since I was a sapling,\u201d the Cedar of Lebanon groaned.<\/p>\n