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 20th. 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