The Screams of War: Selected Poems

Lyrical and powerful poems that serve as a powerful reminder of the human cost of war.

＂Those who believe in the currency of patience / Were burned out in the alleyway.＂

The Screams of War is a visceral collection of poems that confront the realities of contemporary Syria. Akram Alkatreb’s verses capture the sense of the quotidian during war. His words, mere ＂murmurs engraved on stones,＂ long for and despair over an irrevocable past. At the heart of Alkatreb’s work lies a preoccupation with trauma and the profound burden of alienation that accompanies exile. Nascent memories are shrouded by the ＂scars of sleep,＂ and words find themselves nostalgic for destruction. The ubiquity of violence that Alkatreb channels into his poetry does not tolerate enclaves of innocence. The Screams of War is an unforgettable testament to the resilience of the human spirit and a stark reminder of the harsh realities faced by those trapped in conflict.

Akram Alkatreb is a Syrian poet, residing in New Jersey. He has worked as a literary critic and journalist for over two decades, with numerous contributions appearing in many major Arabic literary magazines and newspapers. He has published six poetry collections in Arabic, and one in Spanish. Jonas Elbousty is a writer, literary translator, and academic, whose latest book is Tales of Tangier.