Rapture Records has launched a new audio poetry project titled Poppies in October, created by the Lebanese art collective Shatr. This six-track release, inspired by Sylvia Plath’s poem of the same name, serves as a response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Shatr, founded in 2022 by Sarah Huneidi, Nadine Makarem, and Theresa Sahyoun, aims to enrich Beirut’s poetry scene by blending classical and contemporary language forms. Poppies in October marries original music production with traditional Palestinian literature, alongside modern texts by Sahyoun and Makarem. The project also features sound clips from historical, literary, and media sources, adding depth and context to the collection.
The release is dedicated to the memory of Palestinian writers Refaat Alaraeer and Salim Al Naffar, who lost their lives in 2023. All proceeds from the project will go to ULYP’s Gaza Student Emergency Fund, which supports medical students in Gaza.