WE ARE ACCUSED OF
TERRORISM
We are accused of terrorism If we dare to write about the
remains of a homeland That is scattered in pieces and in decay In
decadence and disarray About a homeland that is searching for a place And
about a nation that no longer has a face
About a homeland that has
nothing left of its great ancient verse But that of wailing and
eulogy
About a homeland that has nothing in its horizons Of freedoms
of different types and ideology
About a homeland that forbids us from
buying a newspaper Or listen to anything About a homeland where all birds
are always not allowed to sing About a homeland that out of horror, its
writers are using invisible ink
About a homeland that resembles poetry in
our country Improvised, imported, loose and of no boundaries Of foreign
tongue and soul Detached from Man and Land, ignoring their plight as a
whole
About a homeland to the negotiating table moves Without a
dignity or shoes
About a homeland That no more has steadfast
men With only women therein
Bitterness is in our mouths in our talk in
our eyes Will draught also plague our souls as a legacy passed to us from
ancient times?
Our nation has nobody left, even the less glorified No
one to say "NO" in the face of those who gave up our home bread and
butter Turning our colorful history into a circus
We have not a single
honest poem That has not lost its virginity in a ruler's Harem
We grew
accustomed to humiliation Then what is left of Man If he is comfortable
with that?
I search the books of history For men of greatness to
deliver us from darkness To save our women from fires' brutality
I
search for men of yesterday But all I find is frightened cats Fearing for
their souls From the authority of rats
Are we hit by national
blindness Or are we suffering from color blindness
We are accused of
terrorism If we refuse to perish Under Israeli tyranny That is
hampering our unity Our history Our Bible and our Quran Our prophets'
land If that is our sin and crime Then terrorism is fine
We are
accused of terrorism If we refuse to be wiped out By barbarians, the
Mongols or the Jews If we choose to stone the fragile security
council Which was sacked by the king of caesuras
We are accused of
terrorism If we refuse to negotiate the wolf And reach out for a
whore
America is fighting the cultures of Man Because it lacks
one And against the civilizations because it needs one It is a gigantic
structure but without a wall
We are accused of terrorism If we refuse
current times Where America the arrogant the mighty the rich Became a
sworn interpreter of Hebrew
(Ãâó: http://www.humboldt.edu/~jns7/)
Jerusalem
I wept until my tears were
dry
I prayed until the candles
flickered
I knelt until the floor
creaked
I asked about Mohammed and
Christ
Jerusalem, luminous city of prophets, Shortest path
between heaven and earth !
Jerusalem, you of the myriad minarets, become a
beautiful little girl with burned fingers. City of the virgin, your eyes are
sad. Shady oasis where the Prophet passed, the stones of your streets grow
sad, the towers of mosques downcast. City swathed in black, who'll ring
the bells at the Holy Sepulcher on Sunday mornings? Who will carry toys to
children on Christmas Eve? City of sorrows, a huge tear trembling on
your eyelid, Who'll save the Bible? Who'll save the Qur'an? Who will
save Christ, who will save man?
Jerusalem, beloved city of mine, tomorrow your lemon
trees will bloom, your green stalks and branches rise up joyful, and your
eyes will laugh. Migrant pigeons will return to your holy roofs and
children will go back to playing. Parents and children will meet on your
shining streets, my city, city of olives and peace.
(Ãâó: http://www.nizar.net/poetry.htm)
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