The nightmare Sequence : Holding space humbly and with mercy for the injustice of our times. by Colleen keating

colleen Poetry

The Nightmare Sequence is a searing response to the atrocities in Gaza and beyond since October 2023. Heartbreaking and humane, it is a necessary portrait of the violence committed by Israel and its Western allies.

Through poetry and visual art, Omar Sakr and Safdar Ahmed capture these historic injustices, while also critiquing the role of art and media – including their own – in this time. Born of collective suffering and despair, their collaboration interrogates the position of witness: the terrible and helpless distance of vision, the impact of being exposed to violence of this scale on a daily basis, and what it means to live in a society that is actively participating in the catastrophic destruction of Arabs and Muslims overseas.

With a foreword by Palestinian American poet George Abraham, The Nightmare Sequence is an insightful work of testimony that also considers how art is complicit in Empire. This transcendent book invokes the power of poetry and art to shift hearts and minds; it will serve as a vital record in decades to come.

With profound love and deep sorrow, paper and ink, words and images, Omar Sakr and Safdar Ahmed have created the story of our time. Each page of The Nightmare Sequence presents a provocative offering.

Do we read, look and think?

Do we experience anger and shame?

Do we feel the tenacity of the people of Gaza?

Will we remember their dead?

Will we condemn the killers?

Or will we move on?

Move away and seek the sunshine?’

Tony Birch

 

This is one of the most profound and transformative creative projects I’ve ever encountered: I felt both completely devastated and completely renewed by it. Birthed from and through a genocide, The Nightmare Sequence is an astonishingly original collaboration by two artists who are committed to the intimacies of humanity, the details of injustice, and uncompromising truth-telling. In a world that has rejected the Arab as being worthy of life and dignity, read this book to be reminded of the generosity and love of artists who insist on bearing witness to the trauma and humanity of Palestinians.’

The Weekend Australian on The Lost Arabs

‘In this collection Sakr reveals himself to be that rare beast: a poet with something to say and the means to say it. This is a book of poetry that surges and whispers and shouts and demands to be read in a sitting.’

The Guardian on The Lost Arabs

‘Thrilling … It is rare for such a collection to be a page-turner but [Sakr’s] poetry demands to be read, digested and re-read soon after.’

NSW Premier’s Literary Awards judges on Still Alive

‘Extraordinary … Ahmed’s work stands out as an example of brilliant storytelling created with and through community, a labour of generosity, and love. It is an unflinching critique of policy and discourse that demonstrates the power of art.’

The Age on Still Alive

‘Arrestingly powerful … Sensitive, heart-breaking, stippled with dark humour, it’s hard to imagine a more potent indictment of Australia’s immigration detention, or a clearer call to change it.’