We Begin Here: Poems for Palestine and Lebanon contains poems written in response to the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon together with new ones rising from the 2006 Israeli war on Lebanon. Following a great tradition of poetry throughout history, this book shows the vast conscience and lyrical spirit of resistance on the part of poets in support of the dignity, rights, and humanity of the Palestinian and Lebanese people.

We Begin Here is an affirmation of the human and poetic spirit, reminding us that poetry and struggle always "begin here," always leading us back to ourselves, to each other, in community, seeking truth and beauty across all borders.

Contributors include: Kamal Boullata ¥ Sara Miles ¥ June Jordan ¥ Samuel Hazo ¥ Kathy Engel ¥ Gabrielle S. Edgcomb ¥ Pablo Medina ¥ Denise Levertov ¥ Naomi Shihab Nye ¥ James Scully ¥ Chris Llewellyn ¥ D.H. Melhem ¥ Sam Hamod ¥ Barbara Berman ¥ Gregory Orfalea ¥ Etel Adnan ¥ E. Ethelbert Miller ¥ Yasmin Adib ¥ Jane Creighton ¥ Dennis Lee ¥ John Berger ¥ Lawrence Ferlinghetti ¥ Grace Cavalieri ¥ Margaret Gibson ¥ Andy Young ¥ Alexis De Veaux ¥ Richard Schaaf ¥ Nathalie Handal ¥ Joy Harjo ¥ Saladin Ahmed ¥ Susan Sherman ¥ Dennis Brutus ¥ Sarah Browning ¥ Adrienne Rich ¥ Martin Espada ¥ Lisa Majaj ¥ Naomi Lazard ¥ Gale P. Jackson ¥ Robert Bagg ¥ Ariel Dorfman ¥ Frank Reeve ¥ John Balaban ¥ Ammiel Alcalay ¥ Elmaz Abinader ¥ Melanie Kaye Kantrowitz ¥ Raja-e Busailah ¥ Seema Atalla ¥ Wade Fletcher ¥ Khaled Mattawa ¥ Kathryn Levy ¥ Suheir Hammad ¥ Jack Hirschman ¥ Amiri Baraka ¥ Sonia Sanchez ¥ W.S. Merwin ¥ Rashidah Ismaili ¥ Sam Hamill ¥ Hayan Charara ¥ Becky Thompson ¥ Tracie Morris ¥