In a Village in the West Bank

One little boy writing a book,

“making pictures for it too,” he said over Zoom,

proud face bright as an apple in my screen.

“It’s about a problem,” he smiled shyly

in that occupied land where soldiers sneak around at night

breaking into houses, chopping olive trees, smashing lamps.

“A problem between spiders and ants.” Well, this sounded

refreshing, a problem not made by humans. He said

spiders and ants each want to dominate their corners,

not letting other species have space. I didn’t quite understand,

since spiders spin high-up webs and ants tunnel in the ground,

but he insisted on friction, something about vicinity.

They want the whole space. I could see stone walls behind him.

Hear his parents speaking Arabic in the background,

a spoon clinking a bowl. I felt homesick for my whole life.

Now he was whispering, other kids listening in,

scattered in villages around the West Bank where my grandma

once lived. I knew exactly what their world looked and

smelled like, and wished to be with them

on that ground, stirring smoky coals in a taboon.

“But there’s something the ants can do,” he went on softly.

“So they don’t all get killed. The spiders are stronger

than the ants, you know. So the ants pretend to be spiders!”

What? How does an ant pretend to be a spider?

He showed reluctance to tell, being still immersed

in the making of his story, but gave a clue.

“It’s an expression on the face. An ant makes his face look like a

spider’s face. For safety. Then they won’t attack.

It’s not that hard.”

Copyright © 2025 by Naomi Shihab Nye.

About this Poem

“What an honor it’s been to work with students all over the world through Zoom sessions during the past five years. Sometimes their poems and beautiful selves are unforgettably haunting. This little Palestinian boy, perhaps eleven or twelve years old, speaking and writing in English, was one of those for me. He was so passionate about his writing project. I hope he is safe, and I hope he finished his book to his satisfaction. And there is nothing I want more than peace for children all over the world.”

—Naomi Shihab Nye