Sema
Recently, the Ezidi poet Laila Sarhan released her new poetry collection titled “The Dance of a Slaughtered Bird.” The unique publication consists of three integrated volumes, each written in a different language: Arabic, Latin script, and Ezidi (Kurmancî) — marking a rare and remarkable contribution to both Ezidi and Arab literary spheres.
The Arabic volume contains 77 pages, the Latin-script edition 72 pages, and the Ezidi-language version 75 pages. Together, they weave themes of collective pain, longing for identity, and the preservation of memory.
In an interview with Sema TV, Laila Sarhan expressed her joy at the release, saying:
“I am happy about the publication of my second poetry collection, ‘The Dance of a Slaughtered Bird,’ which comes in an unconventional form, following my first book ‘Dlopîn Azara,’ written solely in the Ezidi language.”
She continued:
“I wrote this book in two languages — Arabic and Ezidi, both in Latin and Ezidi scripts — out of my deep belief in the Ezidi cause, my nation, my language, my identity, and my faith. I wanted everyone to be able to read and understand it in the language they know best.”
The poet added:
“This book gathers all the wounds we have endured — from the mountains to the tents, to the ruins of Shingal — during the last genocide committed against our Ezidi people by the terrorist group ISIS.”
She concluded:
“This is my second collection, but it will not be my last. Our wounds still bleed, and the genocide continues. I will keep carrying the pain of my free Ezidi people through my writing — to document it for history and protect it from oblivion.”
Through this powerful work, Laila Sarhan reaffirms her place as one of the contemporary Ezidi voices blending poetry with memory, writing in words what has already been written in blood and tears.