I remember seeing it through your eyes,
my country,
as for the first time.
The tight colorless street
where I grew up
choking with people,
_____now covered with a dust
_____sinful as only humanity is.
I remember looking up
as you raised your head
at buildings that resembled
pockmarks on the face of God.
_____They now rest in pieces
_____on the streets
_____and the face of God
_____is nowhere to be seen.
I remember meeting my family
in you,
sprawling, loud and insuppressible,
spreading over the table like a headache
that shouldn’t be cured.
_____Now the table lies naked,
_____all the colors of the vegetables
_____turned black.
_____Even the flies recoil.
I remember climbing the shoulders of the mountain,
the plain spreading behind us,
patchy and still,
and the valley round the corner,
yawning wide,
like the mouth of heaven.
_____Now it doesn’t shed a tear for us.
_____It had been there when it all began,
_____when men fell from grace
_____and ate each other.
(Originally posted on July 28, 2006)
my country,
as for the first time.
The tight colorless street
where I grew up
choking with people,
_____now covered with a dust
_____sinful as only humanity is.
I remember looking up
as you raised your head
at buildings that resembled
pockmarks on the face of God.
_____They now rest in pieces
_____on the streets
_____and the face of God
_____is nowhere to be seen.
I remember meeting my family
in you,
sprawling, loud and insuppressible,
spreading over the table like a headache
that shouldn’t be cured.
_____Now the table lies naked,
_____all the colors of the vegetables
_____turned black.
_____Even the flies recoil.
I remember climbing the shoulders of the mountain,
the plain spreading behind us,
patchy and still,
and the valley round the corner,
yawning wide,
like the mouth of heaven.
_____Now it doesn’t shed a tear for us.
_____It had been there when it all began,
_____when men fell from grace
_____and ate each other.
(Originally posted on July 28, 2006)
10 comments:
There is such an aching sadness in this but it still prefers to look for beauty, sorting the rubble in the season of sin, shuffling through the ruined choirs where late the sweet bird sang, to, at last, stand on the mountain and take the long view through the haze of frustration.
Part 1
Here you go my friend... You are now officially part of Poetic Justice (Don't burn the flag. Washt it!)
Enjoy and peace,
thepoetryman
.
Russell, could a comment be more beautiful that what it's commenting on? Sometimes I think it could. Thank you.
PoetryMan; thank you, I'm honored!
Very emotional Ashraf!
Your words are back to you. You broke your silence.
welcome back :)
I came here via Poetry Man's wise recommendation... thanks for sharing such lovely and heartbreaking thoughts.
Ziad, they come and go, like my morale these days...
Tina, thanks for dropping by!
Ash, Collateral Damage got picked up (and renamed - Unblinking) by Monthly Review, complete with my dedication to you and your family. Thought you might like to know about it!
Thanks for the praise BTW, but the poem it comments on is the real source for any beauty rendered back as balance due.
Russell, that is excellent! Congratulations! Please send a link when it's out.
Ash, they picked it up almost two weeks ago, its out now. Here's the link: Unblinking
I hope things will get better for our (mankind's) cause soon.
Ashraf, I found this truly beautiful poem very poignant. My thoughts are with you, your family and Lebanon :) Leigh
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