Dedicated to the martyrs of January 25th, 2011, who dared to dream of a better life for others, and lost their lives in vain; and to my dear friend Janice Wheeler, for seeing what no one else could see — Wael This is my tribute to honor Amal Donqol (1940–1983), who, in my opinion, is the greatestContinue reading “Translating Amal: Prologue”
Special Meeting With The Son Of Noah
Here comes the Flood of NoahBit by bit, drowning is the cityBirds fleeThe water rises On the stairs of houses The stores The post office The banks The statues — our eternal ancestors — Places of worship Sacks of wheat Hospitals Gates of the prison The King’s palace Halls of stronghold barracks The birds flee bit by bitGeese floating on the waterFloats the furniture And the child’s toyContinue reading “Special Meeting With The Son Of Noah”
Supper
I met them eating supper Look at me, for a moment, did theyAnd no one returned my greeting The hands, went back, handling the spoons in their dish of soup Stare in the bowl, did I Damn you, Beware, My blood! I yelled Care not did theyThe hands handling the spoons And licking the blood were the lips WaelContinue reading “Supper”
Private Conversation With Abu Mosy Al-Asha’ry
To those who walk next to God; not before Him and not behind Him — Wael Abu Musa Abd Allah ibn Qays al-Ash’ari was a companion of Prophet Mohamed. He represented Ali Ibn Abi Talib in the negotiations during the Battle of Siffin between Ali and Mu’awiya. Tainted with blood is the tire of hisContinue reading “Private Conversation With Abu Mosy Al-Asha’ry”
Grieving Between The Hands Of The Blue-Eyed of Al-Yamama
To the children-in-helmets whose blood and corpses graced Tahrir, Maspero and Rabaa; who left us with dishonored soil and shame that make our skin fall
Melodic
To that waiting on the river bank, while I travel in towns never have I seen, with doves on her shoulders and tenderness flowing from her palms— Wael Why chases me, wherever I go, the sound of the violin? Travel do I in old trains for I could talk to elderly strangersI raise my voice, for it toContinue reading “Melodic”
Innocence
Feeling am I, for thy eyne, something sobbing inside me Feeling am I, between your hands, the naked sins of the past, repent And apples on a vine, in two green eyne Will I forget a journey of sins, in thy heavenly eyne? And until when, shall my sins torment me, away from your dates, shall my desires burn me, close toContinue reading “Innocence”
Waiting For The Sword
To those who refuse to beg for the mercy of the sword, and still wait, despite the sight of soldiers, for the scream of the newborn, full of hope — Wael Al-Hasan al-A’sam was a Qarmatian military commander A boutonnière in the lapelWhat are ye birthing now?A child or a crime?!Or are ye wailing atContinue reading “Waiting For The Sword”
From The Journals of Abu Nowas
To those carried from the tranquil river, abandoned in the creeks of the strange lands, divided between the fields of sorrow and the fields of longing, resisting half-divine emperors — Wael Abu Nowas was an Arab poetAl Hussein is the grandson of Prophet Mohammad Karbala is a city in Iraq where Al Hussein was killedContinue reading “From The Journals of Abu Nowas”
The Southern
To those who covet not but the truth, and the absent faces — Wael Portrait Have I ever been a child?Or is that, joyful child, someone else? A family portraitSitting was my fatherAnd standing was IMy arms dangling A punt of a mareLeft me, with a wounded forehead, marredAnd taught a wary heart My bloodContinue reading “The Southern”
Birds
To those who flap their wings every morning, preferring the doom of the wing over a docile eye — Wael Banished to the skies are the birdsBanished … Not to land on the ground Not but to be flung by the tiny winds They could descend To rest for moments On theContinue reading “Birds”
Translating Amal 