Member Reviews

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

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

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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.

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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.

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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

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"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.

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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.

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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.

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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.”

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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.

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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

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

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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.

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"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.

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This gorgeous collection of short prose and poetry is outstanding. Each individual's contribution to it means that there is passion, voice and agency. I feel the outrage, the emotions of dispair and the fire in everyone's guts for wanting a free Palestine. Some standouts: Etymology of a Watermelon, My Sakura Memoir, and Recipe for Colonisation. The amount of pain and detail in each piece rings true. Thank god for this collection. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

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I love supporting own voices in any capacity. This was a great way to see how people directly impacted by the war are feeling and how they are using writing as an outlet for their pain and frustrations. Free palestine <3

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4.5 stars.

We Were Seeds is a brilliantly done collection of poetry about Palestine, and the wider global questions the genocide raises. Each poet had a unique voice, and there were no poems that felt badly written. The authors come from a diverse, wide range of backgrounds, and all have different styles of poetry writing, leading to a compelling read since you always want to know what the next person is going to say and how. As someone who is ethnically Jewish, I also really loved the handful of poems from other Jewish folks who are also angry at this genocide being committed “for us.” Never again means never again, and I love the power of poetry to make these atrocities clear and concise for the reader. I definitely recommend this anthology, and I love that it is benefiting Palestinians who are still struggling today.

The only reason this isn’t a five star is because there were a couple poems that felt out of place, since they weren’t explicitly about Palestine- I’m sure they were connected somehow, but it wasn’t clear as the reader. There also was an AI image which feels disingenuous to use considering the widespread issues concerning AI generated images and the impact they have on the planet. But, other than these small issues, this was still a lovely collection that I want to buy multiple copies of for everyone in my life.

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An anthology of poetry from 60 writers all over the world published to benefit Palestine.

At once heartbreaking and hopeful, this is a moving call for peace and an end to the genocide in Palestine. Each piece brought something unique to the table, but together they were a call to witness, to action, to speak.

All proceeds from sales will be donated to The Sameer Project and mutual aids on Gaza Funds.

Thank you to both NetGalley and Querencia Press for the opportunity to review this arc.

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Thank you to Querencia via NetGalley for providing me with this ARC! A beautiful, tragic, and yet still hopeful show of support for Palestine. I was moved by so many of the pieces included in this collection, and was in awe of the inclusivity of the anthology.

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I got this an arc on Netgalley and it will come out this month. A gorgeous book of poems about Palestine that captivated my heart and spirit. Free 🇵🇸

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