Very powerful collection of works detailing and expressing feelings about the ongoing genocide and occupation in Palestine. I am not usually a huge poetry or essay collection kind of person, and unfortunately this is still the case, although many of these works were very poignant and moving. The writing style for some was a little too cerebral for me, personally, but others really spoke to me a lot. In general, a good mixed bag of writing and there is something for everyone in this collection.

A hopeful sign that our voice for freedom will never be silenced and keep growing bigger and stronger. Lovely tributes to the Palestinians. I choked up while reading some poems in it.

Thank you NetGalley and Querencia Press for the chance to read and review We Were Seeds, a poetry anthology on the genocide in Gaza.

In a world where everyone seems to be afraid of offending zionists and white tears, it's great to see so many poets writing on Gaza and this book being published. I also respect that all the proceeds will be going to The Sameer Project & mutual aids on Gaza Funds. Everyone really did put their money where their mouth was and massive respect.

The poetry, given the subject matter, is sometimes harrowing. so know that going in. Of course, we have the privilege of looking away (or deactivating insta like Selena Gomez) when things get too intense.

This is a beautiful and moving collection of poems highlighting the reality of the genocide in Palestine and the wills, resistance, and love of the Palestinian people. I cannot recommend it enough to everyone. 100/100

Beautiful (and sad) collection of poems and some artwork about the devastation experienced by Palestinians. Would recommend everyone read this

This was an excellent and emotionally moving collection of poems dedicated to Palestinians. Majority of the poems really felt like you were right there watching the atrocities that they face.

A moving and confronting collection of poetry documenting and reacting to the genocide and destruction in Gaza.

Entiendo el trasfondo de esta antologia, pero hubieron muy pocos poemas que se destacaron. Por eso mi puntaje para este libro.

This is the most important read that you can read right now. I will buy it! Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a chance to read this book.

I was drawn to this work because I wanted to hear more from Palestinian voices and to support genocide survivors. This collection is raw and poignantly powerful. It is full of resilience and grief. I think everyone should read it.

An incredible collection of poetry and prose benefitting Palestine. This expertly curated collection goes above and beyond. Below are a list of my favorites:

"A Native Watching Gaza" by Savannah Jade
"i become a migrant" & "remedy" by Rowan Tate
"soundbites while waiting" by Crystal Rivera
"Gnaw" by Erika Gill
"appalachian gods / purple thumb summers" by Emma Loomis-Amrhein
"to be free" by Charlie Jasper
"Labeled Arms" & "She is digging herself out" by Meredith MacLeod Davidson
"of olives and watermelon in October" by Sebastian Ellios
"All That We Carry" & "Letters to Mahmoud" by Myfanwy Williams

"We were seeds" caught my eye for different reasons. The cover is so pretty, and the drawing and colour palette style has many elements that we associate with Palestine. The fact that this anthology will serve to raise money for the war. It seems to be a diverse selection of authors, none I knew, and I was curious to see the "hidden gems" I could find. I've been reading poetry from Palestinians and talking about Palestine, so I am very interested in reading this one.

It's a compelling anthology, and I greatly liked the poems. There are different writing styles, so not all are to my taste, but there's something for everyone. I selected a couple of poems so you can have a look.

60 poems - from all different authors that range throughout the poetry. This is a hard one to read with violence throughout but so needed. Olive trees and watermelon themes in so many but also bombs and death. I highly recommend this to anyone that wants to get own voices to the genocide in Palestine.

not only does this collection contain some truly great poetry, art, and prose - it stands in solidarity with palestine. as an indigenous person, the contributions of indigenous were heartfelt and spoke to me the most. the jewish voices in the anthology go far in highlighting that the atrocities happening in palestine are not an ‘us and them’ dichotomy but are truly heinous on a human level. and of course, the palestinian voices shone through - as allies we must remember that centring palestinian voices during this time is of the upmost importance. these forces combined cemented this as a five star read for me. thanks to netgalley and the publisher for sending me an e-copy of this anthology.

Thank you, NetGalley, for giving me the opportunity to read We Were Seeds ahead of its release. This collection of poems brings together voices from around the world, each speaking to the pain and resilience surrounding the genocide in Gaza. Some poems are nostalgic, others brought me to tears, and a few left my heart completely shattered. That said, I did find it hard to stay immersed at times because of the frequent grammar and vocabulary issues—nearly 40% of the poems had noticeable mistakes, which made the experience feel less polished. Even so, some pieces truly stood out. My favorite so far is A Native Watching Gaza by Savanah Jade. One line in particular has stayed with me: “Genocide starts with playing God.”

This was a beautifully done anthology, it had a great collection of stories and was hooked from the first story. I was invested in what was happening and enjoyed each part of this collection and how each author worked with this.

We Were Seeds is a poetry collection by authors from all around the world centering on the Palestinian genocide.

"Poetry soars above silence, poetry shatters ignorance, poetry flies into the space that is hope and light."

This collection doesn't pull its punches when it comes to showing the reality of this crusade and the guilty parties. Its authors lay bare the harrowing plight of the Palestinians by painting vivid pictures of their suffering. These poems will haunt you, and that is entirely by design. Its authors plead you not to look away from these atrocities.

"Crimson stains the ground, stories untold,
Embers of yesterday's warmth turn cold."

We Were Seeds is a must read for every citizen on this planet. It is important for every single person to know what is going on in this part of the world we all share. As expected this is a heavy read, so make sure to check the trigger warnings and practice self care while reading. This collection features a wide variety of poems, which ensures there is a story that will resonate with each and every reader.

"'We are not conquered, nor will we bow,
We'll forge a path; we will rise somehow.'
So we take these steps, burdened yet bold,
In the grip of despair, we'll refuse to fold."

TW: violence, war, genocide, death, child death, loss of limbs, murder, decapitation, mutilation, rape, pedophilia, necrophilia, starvation, torture

a heartbreaking love letter to a home that’s been invaded. i hope we can see peace in gaza soon. #freepalestine

While poetry is not my go-to genre, I saw the cover and description of this anthology on NetGalley and immediately requested.

I found this collection to be beautiful, thought-provoking, haunting, and demanding to be heard. Art is a crucial, necessary factor in any resistance, and this anthology is a perfect example why.

Thank you to NetGalley, the editors, and authors for sending me a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

"Poetry soars above silence, poetry shatters ignorance, poetry flies into the space that is hope and light."

We Were Seeds is a moving collection of poetry, art, and photography featuring 60 poets from around the world. These poems are full of painful and powerful imagery and language sure to challenge and change any reader. This anthology is screaming, "end the genocide" with its full chest on every single page.

We Were Seeds captures the feeling of watching a genocide unfold on Instagram. Present are guilt and confusion, calls to action, consequences of inaction, humanization, and so much emotion you can literally feel it like static electricity against your skin.

An important collection for anyone to read and reflect on.