Thus Speaks the Arab Ruler
By Tarif Youssef Agha
The Arab ruler stood at the podium and said
Changes happen every where in the universe, but not in our countries
We were seated in our palaces to impose slavery
And to silent every one who sings for freedom
To shepherd people just as if they were herds
So it will be our right to slaughter them any time we wish
And the same if we cut off the water and electricity
And impose humiliation and hunger upon them
In brief, we don’t want in our countries any ‘brainy people’
Neither dignitaries nor heroes
We want people who don’t hear, speak or see
People who like to be in mud and love to live in disgrace
People who are ready to worship the everlasting leader
And ready to let him ride their backs as if they were horses
People who understand that opposition leads to prison
And that speaking up their opinions can be fatal
Or can cause them the worst kinds of torture
As we (Arab rulers) developed torture methods above imagination
We, still, welcome those who adore humiliation
We promise them that they won’t be disappointed here
To make a long story short, we only want the weak to live under us
And also the cowards and those who are originally without dignity
These are the conditions for life in the Arab countries
Those who don’t like them, can start preparing for departure
We don’t insist to keep any one who loves pride
Our border gates are so wide, even camels can go through (a proverb)
But those who decide to stay to oppose us
We will let them end in graves, or keep moving them between cells
***
A Poem translation
(Can be shared without permission)
By Tarif Youssef-Agha
An Expatriate Arab Syrian Writer & Poet
Member of the ‘Syrian Revolutionary Writers Assembly’
Friday November 14, 2014, Houston, Texas
http://sites.google.com/site/tarifspoetry