Understanding The City of Olive Branches

            This week I recited the poem, “City of Olive Branches” by Nizar Qabbani, so in this weekly blog I am going to dive deeper into the poem and will read between the lines to explain my interpretation. The poem puts the reader through a rollercoaster of emotions. In the first four stanzas, the writer expresses sadness, desperation and perplexion. While the writer experienced these emotions, he mentioned two religious figures, Mohammed and Jesus, putting the focus of the first half of the poem towards a religious perspective. Jerusalem has suffered from tragedy and destruction many times, so I presume that the city is suffering yet again in this poem, and the writer is turning to deities for support. 

The poem continues to carry a depressing undertone and says, “O Jerusalem! / Swiftest path between heaven and earth” (Qabbani, lines 9 - 10). From my interpretation, the writer uses these lines to describe Jerusalem as an axis mundi for the people of earth. A few lines later, the writer states, “Who can prevent / Atrocities at your holy gates?” (Qabbani, lines 14-15). The writer addresses Jerusalem, the city adorned with holy gates, presenting another example of how Jerusalem is an axis mundi. Suddenly, the poem completely changes moods and the author takes back control of his city and from this moment on, optimism and positivity dominates the poem. The focus shifts to what will or can happen tomorrow and not what has already occurred. Laughter, prosperity, and family become the new concentration of the poem. Hope is found, once the city is reclaimed. Signs of peace like doves and olive branches are mentioned in the latter half of the poem. The poem ends with a pure expression of peace and prosperity for Jerusalem. “The City of Olive Branches” contrasts the poem “The Thrice-Loved Land”, a different poem presented this week, by Isma’il Ibrahim Nawwab, because it ends on a positive note. “The Thrice-Loved Land” is incredibly gloomy throughout the entire poem and never turns the corner.

In conclusion, the volatile emotions confined within the story capture Jerusalem’s long and vulnerable history of destruction, prosperity, and religion. Despite devastation, Jerusalem grasps on to hope and continues to march on, and during periods of affluence and success, the city savors the moment. 

Photo Source: https://agnionline.bu.edu/about/our-people/authors/nizar-qabbani/