thumb|left|Palestinian-American writer Naomi Shihab Nye Poetry, using classical pre-Islamic forms, remains an extremely popular art form, often attracting Palestinian audiences in the thousands. Until 20 years ago, local folk bards reciting traditional verses were a feature of every Palestinian town.Shahin, 2005, p. 41. After the 1948 Palestinian exodus and discrimination by neighboring Arab countries, poetry was transformed into a vehicle for political activism. From among those Palestinians who became Arab citizens of Israel after the passage of the Citizenship Law in 1952, a school of resistance poetry was born that included poets including Mahmoud Darwish, Samih al-Qasim, and Tawfiq Zayyad. The work of these poets was largely unknown to the wider Arab world for years because of the lack of diplomatic relations between Israel and Arab governments. The situation changed after Ghassan Kanafani, another Palestinian writer in exile in Lebanon, published an anthology of their work in 1966. Palestinian poets often write about the common theme of a strong affection and sense of loss and longing for a lost homeland. Among the new generation of Palestinian writers, the work of Nathalie Handal an award-winning poet, playwright, and editor has been widely published in literary journals and magazines and has been translated into twelve languages.
thumb|left|palestinian-american writer naomi shihab nye poetry using classical pre-islamic forms remains an extremely popular art form often attracting palestinian audiences in the thousands until 20 years ago local folk bards reciting traditional verses were a feature of every palestinian townshahin 2005 p 41 after the 1948 palestinian exodus and discrimination by neighboring arab countries poetry was transformed into a vehicle for political activism from among those palestinians who became arab citizens of israel after the passage of the citizenship law in 1952 a school of resistance poetry was born that included poets including mahmoud darwish samih al-qasim and tawfiq zayyad the work of these poets was largely unknown to the wider arab world for years because of the lack of diplomatic relations between israel and arab governments the situation changed after ghassan kanafani another palestinian writer in exile in lebanon published an anthology of their work in 1966 palestinian poets often write about the common theme of a strong affection and sense of loss and longing for a lost homeland among the new generation of palestinian writers the work of nathalie handal an award-winning poet playwright and editor has been widely published in literary journals and magazines and has been translated into twelve languages