Declaration # One
I recited this poem Sunday 27 February 2011 in the Arab American Cultural Center (ACC) at the starting of the lecture of Huwaida Arraf. She is an American Palestinian human rights activist and a co-founder of the (Free Gaza Movement) which works to break the Israeli military blockade against Gaza. She did it 5 times and she was one of the organizers of Gaza Freedom Flotilla that was lethally attacked by the Israeli military on May 31st. 2010.
***
After independence, the Arab citizen lived under a nightmare called “Declaration # One”. As every general, who can win the race of reaching the government mansion and to the TV and radio station with his tank before his comrades, becomes the new ruler. What is drawing the attention here is that every one who does such a coup starts his declaration with the same statement “By the name of God, People and the Homeland”. Of course, there is no need here to mention how far he is from the spirit of those words. He, namely, should really start it with his name, the names of his family, his wife’s family, his relatives, her relatives and the rest of the gang. It would also help to introduce the local or foreign party who fouled him and/or paid him to participate in that race.
But today, after being sick and tired of just listening, watching and being the victims, the people finally decided to take charge. That is by marching themselves to the government mansion and to the TV and radio station to read their own Declaration # One. Like what happened in Tunisia and Egypt, and what is going on now in Libya, Yemen and other countries.
Declaration # One
It is Peoples’ time
Oh you, who calls yourself the Father of the People and the Homeland
By the name of God, the People and the Homeland
I declare the revolution against you
Your fiery speeches and your patriotic slogans,
Your theatrical fatherhood plays and your brotherly titles,
Don’t tell about the billions (Of Dollars) which belong to you
You starved me and said “To built the Homeland”
You whipped me and said “To guaranty the Homeland’s security”
Not even a single tear ran on your cheeks
I don’t know how you thought you were God
And that you were the giver, the taker, and the mighty
How you forced me to worship you
You made me live with the gallows rope around my neck
You made me walk carrying my coffin on my back
If you fall in my hand, I will slap you with your sandals
If you would like to know who am I?
I am the Arab Citizen
The one who woke up today to keep you awake
And let me also admit to you that I am an agent
Not to a single party, but two
So there is no need for you to ask me or to crash my bones with your horns
I’m an agent for the Freedom you took away from me
And for the Dignity you emptied from my life
Can I ask you who is filling your pockets?
You are an agent to the parties
Who pay with foreign currency
The parties who, when you fall, will hide from your view
Oh Oppressor, as I promised you before,
I humiliated you as you humiliated me
At the end, I made you open your ears (To listen to me)
I hunted you as you hunted me
I made you homeless as you made me
I made you pay the price of the crimes your hands committed
***
Poetry by: Tarif Youssef-Agha
Houston, Texas
February 27, 2011