Debate for Peace

Mousa’s “I wonder” piece explores the questions of a child living through war.

A two-year-old says, “I wonder”

The taste of fresh water.

A two-year-old child from the war tells me, “I wonder”

The taste of oranges.

A two-year-old who lived only two years in a camp in Gaza during the war says, “I wonder”

I wonder”

The shape of the roof of the house, says a two-year-old child, “On top of the forgotten wall next to the tattered tent.”

I wonder” The shape of the shoelace, says the two-year-old child.

I wonder” The shape of the red fruit with the green head, someone tells him it’s a strawberry that used to be grown in Gaza.

I wonder” The shape of the 80-page book lying on the school window in Gaza.

I wonder” The small and large hands of the clock in the bite of this time in Gaza.

I wonder” The taste of the red chicken seasoning on the worn-out table.

From the Barbie toy, and the spaceship toy that I’ve only seen on my phone. Oh, I forgot to wonder before that.

I wonder” The sound of calm that I haven’t heard in the past two years. What does it sound like?

I wonder at the shapes of the white seagulls. Oh, I forgot that the sea has become far beyond the limits of the clean water filling station.

I wonder at the two years that have passed here. They have seemed like a thousand years, or even more.

The two-year-old finished his pen and said, “I don’t know how many more years I will remain without wondering,” to recover from his state of astonishment.