The Shadow: Poems for the Children of Gaza huwa ġabra ta’ 42 poeżija oriġinali ta’ Ahmed Miqdad u John P. Portelli li juru dak li l-kittieba għaddew minnu mis-7 ta’ Ottubru lill hawn. Il-poeżiji nkitbu fi żmien ta’ taqtigħa: Miqdad minħabba l-oppressjoni nġusta u bla heda tal-Iżrael sa mill-1948; Portelli minħabba l-kanċer. Il-poeti jaqsmu magħna djalogu poetiku li juri sewwa dak li kienu għaddejin minnu, u fl-istess ħin juru s-support li taw lil xulxin.
Skond Ghassan Zaqtan, kittieb Palestinjan magħruf internazzjonalment u rebbieħ ta’ ħafna premjijiet letterarji: “These poems are an extension of personal destiny in an imagined and real geography. The two poet’s intuition reveals a side path that leads to friendship. The poems exhibit an anxiety that grows parallel to the scenes provided so that they have a shadow. Anxiety is the charm of these poems, and it brings together the imagination of poetry with the imagination of place.”
Il-ġabra tinkludi wkoll daħla qasira imma profonda mill-Professur Jamil Khader li kien Professur tal-Ingliż u Dekan tar-Riċerka fl-Universita ta’ Betlehem. Khader kiteb hekk: “In a world where both personal and collective histories are threatened, this collection serves as a testament to the power of poetry to preserve life in the face of death and to give us hope, purpose, and the strength to endure. These poems embody acts of defiance against the forces that seek to erase life.”
Il-ktieb jinsab għall-bejgħ mingħand Horizons Malta and l-ħwienet tal-Agenda. Il-ktieb se jkun għall-bejgħ ukoll fil-Festival tal-Ktieb Malti. Il-qligħ mill-bejgħ ta’ dan il-ktieb se jingħata lil Gaza.
