Blood

The speaker’s childhood is contrasted with her adulthood, specifically relating to how she views her identity. She described her childhood as a happy time; she is safe and secure and learns about her biracial identity from her father. Her mother is not mentioned in the poem, possibly because her American upbringing is not as exciting or mysterious to her. She lives as an American every day, but her Arab identity is much less familiar.

The speaker demonstrates a child’s curiosity with her questions and precocious comments, which bring her close to her father. Her family name, translated as “shooting star” (Line 12) implies a bright and special destiny, although the word “shooting” also has ominous connotations in the context of the poem.

The second child mentioned in the poem, “[a] little Palestinian” (Line 17), does not have the luxury of innocence. Its destiny is blighted at the outset as it “dangles a truck on the front page” (Line 17). The child is newsworthy for being a victim, crushed by a system that has robbed them of their humanity; they are nameless, faceless, and ultimately one of thousands of children killed in the region over the years.

In the final stanza of the poem, the speaker retains a childlike quality as she cries and pleads for answers.