Does Obama think that he is Antar?
Antar Bin Shaddad is a black Arab folk’s hero who lived about 1500 ago in the Arabian Peninsula and came from the tripe of Abbs. He was a great fighter, poet, and also a lover whose love story with Abbla became a legend by itself. He fought a lot of battles along with his closest friend, Shiaboob, and was known as a fearless man who stood bravely against aggression.
Does Obama think that he is Antar?
Does Obama think that he is Antar?
And that Syria is Abbla?
Where was his bravery after all the massacres?
Massacres like those of Hillfaya, Dariya, Baniass and Jablla
Where was his great manhood when whole cities were leveled?
Greatness, anyway, can also be found among the onions
If he was really Antar, he would punish Bashar
And drag him into the mud long time ago
He would make him an example to all aggressors
As the whole world hates that butcher
He would shell him without speeches or noises
Without beating the war drums
And those Red Lines were useless
Bulls don’t recognize colors, but they recognize the spear
It is said that Obama is better than others (presidents)
And that, in comparison, he is OK
But when we thought that he made up his mind, he surprised us
By saying he needs the permission of Abbs (The Congress)
His British Shaiboob retreated to his tent to hide
The master of deception always finds a tricky way to run away
And the French said that he will join, only when
His partners decide to saddle the horses
I don’t know what happened to the conscience of such people
I don’t know to what kind of people I should classify them
Bashar, for thirty months, is
Slaughtering, burning and dragging our people
We all know it was Israel that made him survive that long
Do you really thing that we are that stupid?
Isn’t there any consideration to the blood of our children?
You move your fleets if only one of your children is killed
This criminal doesn’t understand but only the language of fire
He increases his savagery as more chances you give him to stop
There is no solution with him but only by pulling him from his roots
Any other solution means we still don’t know that creature enough
So if you want to hit him, you best shake him as an earthquake
A strike like a bee sting isn’t enough
If the strike doesn’t kill him, it will make him stronger
And will polish the image of his gang that worships the military boot
You either finish him, or leave it to us
We will crush him as we crush a louse
Oh Obama, We don’t want (US) boots on the ground
We only need weapons that help us to humiliate the butcher
We don’t want you to risk the life of your solders
You help us with weapons, and we will throw you a party
***
A Poem translation
(Can be shared without permission)
Tarif Youssef-Agha
An Expatriate Arab Syrian Writer & Poet
Member of the ‘Syrian Revolutionary Writers Assembly’
Friday 6 September, 2013, Houston, Texas
http://sites.google.com/site/tarifspoetry