Ranar Bitar is the author of ten poems, A Loaf of Bread. They are easy to read and can help you empathize deeply with emotions. Bitar’s gift is to bring people together through common feelings.
A poem called “A Piece of Land” describes a father who needs a son to be buried. However, the land they live in denies them their dignity. This is the most tragic of all. The shrapnel outside means that he can’t get his father medicine. His father does not want him to travel out to get medicine. He only wants him to bring food for his children. It is too late. His father has died. He grieves alone and apologises for the lack of a burial plot. This poem is full of frustration. It is bleak. There is no hope. There is no tomorrow. Civil war is raging overhead as a Syrian citizen. Knowing that normal life is not for your, that you will never walk the cobbled streets again, that you will not see the seven gates again, and that you may have to flee to another country to find refuge – that is where the despair comes in. You are so traumatized by your memories that only your mother can save you from the pit.
Bitar expresses despair about war and its effects on humanity. Bitar isn’t angry or vengeful, but he is simply sad and longing to feel the familiar comforts of home again. Although the writing is easy to read and has a consistent rhythm, there is no escaping sadness.
I can feel the echo of WWI poetry. The poignancy, sadness, and complete waste of war are all there. It imposes a restriction on our lives. It can cause you to lose your sense of security. It destroys children’s happiness. It begs for peace. People don’t want to see war. The question is, who would want war? Are they despotic leaders? They need to be punished. They need us to take on each other, not ourselves.
Bitar is a master at moving the reader. Her poetry is masterful, and I am grateful for A Loaf of Bread. It may end hunger all over the world. A Loaf of Broad is a sad, but powerful book that can move the soul. It gets 4 stars. It has been professionally edited and is free from errors. I have not given it 3 stars. It would be a good choice for a wide readership. This book will help you know that you’re alive.
