Tunisia Choose the Life

In order not to forget the martyrs of the Tunisian uprising, January 2011

Tunisia Choose the Life

The Ruler left, Al-Shabi stayed

(Al-Shabi is one of the greatest late Tunisian poets of the 20^th. century)

The folks said their word

The folks regained their glory

The word was thundering

They used it to announce their revolt

They walked to the ruler’s palace

Regaining their dignity from him

They swore they will not go home

Without their freedom

Receiving the bullets by chest

Waving goodbye to the fear by heart

So the godfather of Carthage had to go

Taking his royal staff with him

He had to go, the ruler who thought

That his nation had never breed anyone like him

He had to go, the leader whose nation

Felt sorry producing him

He did not leave but only after

His ugly side was unveiled to the whole world

Al-Shabi portrayed him and his kind as chains

Al-Shabi was brilliant, and so was his portrayal

***

Oh you, ruler, but why did you flee?

Didn’t you rule with a justice that made you feel secure?

And since the folks elected you

Why did you flee today?

Was it because you stole and looted?

Or because you oppressed and divided (your people)

Was it because you jailed and tortured?

Or because you made widows and orphans

Or was it all that, combined,

That today, you, ran away?

I don’t rule out that you thought

You were a messenger (of God)

And I also don’t doubt that you believed

You inherited the country with its people

Al-Bu-Izeezi burned himself one time

But, before that, you, burned him one thousand times

So, drink today from the same cup that

You forced the folks to drink before

Al-Shabi portrayed you as the one who was out of time

Al-Shabi was truthful, you were false

***

The time for Tunisia became polished again today

But only after the blood was shed

Oh ruler, fleeing means fear

Try now what the folks tasted from your regime

And it is also what thieves do the best

You and Ali Baba are at the same page

You promised to rule only three years

But you failed math and passed hypocrisy

And the day you showed the folks your fangs

You lost your last credibility

Didn’t your royal staff tell you?

That you are hated by the folks

And your wife who titled herself by the virtuous

The virtue doesn’t remember missing her

A pupil of Delilah and Al-Ziebak (Two thieves)

The folks loved to try the scissor on her neck

Your departure from Tunisia today is similar

To that of the devil being ousted from Heaven

Nizar (Late famous Syrian poet) portrayed countries like yours as police stations

No one outshined Nizar in his portrayals

Al-Shabi portrayed your type as the darkness of nights

There was no love lost between Al-Shabi and your type

***

The Ruler ignored the folks

He thought they became like the cemetery’s inhabitants

The Ruler forgot that when the ashes move

The flame rises up from underneath

He forgot that when the folks revolt

The folks do the unthinkable to their rulers

Congratulation today to Tunisia,

But not to any of the other Arabs

Congratulation today to Tunisia

As its folks regained the title

Crowned their forehead with laurel

And won all the gold (medals)

The rest of the awards are waiting for

Those who are ready to donate their blood for freedom

All others will be awarded nothing

But only repression, poverty and scabies

The others who are sticking their heads in the ground

Or in the drugs, wasting time or cheap singing

Al-Shabi portrayed them as the inhabitants of the holes

Al-Shabi was straight all the way

***

Poetry by: Tarif Youssef-Agha

Houston, Texas

January 2011