paul catafago: The Palestinian Freedom Now Suite

The Palestinian Freedom Now Suite features new and collected work by paul catafago, a Queens NYC-born poet of the Palestinian diaspora honoring his heritage with radical poetic force. With influences ranging from jazz musicians Max Roach, John and Alice Coltrane, and Charles Mingus, to poets June Jordan, Steve Cannon, Etel Adnan, and Pedro Pietri, this book is a vital collection for our times.

NOTE: $2.00 from every purchase will be donated directly to the Gaza Soup Kitchen.

“I am very moved by the original, clear voice of paul catafago. We need his poems."

  —Naomi Shihab Nye, award-winning poet, editor, songwriter, and novelist

“In one of his poems, paul catafago says:

Speak because the children

who have been taken

need you to speak.

His is a work of witness, but also of the anguish of living in an era of hate. His work is essential. This is an important book.”

  —Luis Alberto Urrea, best-selling, American Book Award-winning author of Good Night, Irene and The Devil’s Highway

paul catafago is a writer, spoken word poet, and cultural organizer. Born and raised in Queens, New York City to political refugees, his work is informed by his Palestinian and Lebanese roots. He is the author of Sumud: Poems of the Palestinian Diaspora (Sligo Creek Publishing, 2024). He holds a BA in journalism from Long Island University (Brooklyn) and has worked as a journalist for publications such as Maryknoll Magazine. He also holds an MA in Theological Studies from Maryknoll School of Theology where he studied with Dr. Marc Ellis, a leading Jewish theologian who advocated solidarity between Israeli Jews and Palestinians. catafago has performed spoken word poetry in venues like New York City’s Nuyorican Poets Café and The Poetry Project. He has participated in several international poetry festivals including the 14th International Poetry Festival of Puerto Rico, in March 2025. After 9/11, he founded an arts non-profit that organized the Queens International Poetry Festival for several years. Since 2014, paul catafago has lived in New Orleans where he has produced filmed documentaries of the city’s elder musical artists and performed spoken word with jazz musicians.