Bassma Sheikho’s ‘Scream’

Key Takeaways

• Poem reflects Syrian wartime trauma and yearning for freedom
• Translation by Tanjour and Holttum bridges Arabic-English literary gap
• Featured in "SYRIA: Fall of Eternity" issue, highlighting contemporary voices
• Sheikho's multidisciplinary background enriches poetic visual imagery

Summary

Bassma Sheikho’s poem “Scream,” translated by Maisaa Tanjour and Alice Holttum, appears in the spring 2026 issue *SYRIA: Fall of Eternity*. The piece, written in 2016, portrays a war‑torn Syrian household through stark, fragmented imagery, culminating in a cry for freedom. Sheikho, a Syrian writer, poet, and visual artist with a background in interior architecture, uses the poem to explore trauma, memory, and the yearning for escape. The publication highlights contemporary Syrian literary voices on an international platform.

Pulse Analysis

The poem “Scream,” written by Syrian poet‑artist Bassma Sheikho and translated into English by Maisaa Tanjour and Alice Holttum, appears in the spring 2026 issue *SYRIA: Fall of Eternity*. Sheikho, a Damascus‑born interior architect turned writer, has built a reputation for blending visual art with lyrical protest. The piece captures the claustrophobic reality of a war‑torn household, using stark imagery—electricity loss, blood‑filled mouths, and a mirror filled with martyrs—to convey the psychological toll of prolonged conflict.

Beyond its visceral description, “Scream” operates as a meditation on memory, identity, and the paradox of yearning for freedom while being haunted by loss. The narrator’s counting of martyrs and the repeated motif of mirrors suggest a collective trauma that reflects upon itself, while the final ascent to the roof and the cry of ‘Freedom’ symbolize a fleeting, almost transcendental release. The poem’s structure—short, fragmented lines—mirrors the fragmented lives of Syrians, making the work both a personal lament and a universal anti‑war statement.

The inclusion of Sheikho’s poem in a curated literary issue signals a growing appetite for authentic Syrian voices in the global market. Tanjour’s and Holttum’s translation preserves the poem’s rhythmic tension, allowing English‑speaking readers to experience the same urgency. For publishers, educators, and cultural institutions, the piece offers a gateway to discussions on displacement, artistic resilience, and the role of translation in amplifying marginalized narratives. As Syrian literature gains traction, works like “Scream” will likely shape curricula, anthology selections, and cross‑cultural collaborations for years to come.