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Poem title : The face of Qana

Poet name:Nizar Qabbani

Category: Modern Arabic Poetry

You can see this poet in our website on the following link:

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1

ThefaceofQana

Pale,likethatofJesus

andtheseabreezeofApril...

Rainsofblood.. andtears..

2

TheyenteredQanasteppingonourcharredbodies

RaisingaNaziflag

inthelandsoftheSouth

andrehearsingitsstormychapters

Hitler

cremated

them

in

the

gas

chambers

andtheycameafterhimtoburnus

HitlerkickedthemoutofEasternEurope

andtheykickedusoutofourlands

3

TheyenteredQana

Likehungrywolves

PuttingtofirethehouseoftheMessiah

SteppingonthedressofHussain

andthedearlandoftheSouth

4

Blasted

Wheat,

Olive-trees

and

Tobacco

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andthemelodiesofthenightingale

BlastedCadmusinhisbark

Blastedseaandthegulls

Blastedevenhospitals

evennursingmoms

andschoolboys

BlastedthebeautyoftheSouthernwomen

andmurderedthegardensofthehoneyedeyes

5

We

saw

the

tears

in

Ali's

eyes

Weheardhisvoiceasheprayed

undertherainofbloodyskies

6

WhoeverwillwriteaboutthehistoryofQana

Willinscribeinhisparchments

ThiswasthesecondKarbala

7

Qanaunveiledwhatwashidden

WesawAmerica

WearingtheoldcoatofaJewishRabbi

Leading

the

slaughter

Blastingourchildrenfornoreason

Blastingourwivesfornoreason

Blastingourtreesfornoreason

Blastingourthoughtsfornoreason

Hasitbeendecreedinherconstitution,

She,America,mistressoftheworld,

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InHebrew.. thatsheshouldhumbleusal-Arab?

8

HasitbeendecreedthateachtimearulerinAmerica

wantstowinthepresidencythatheshouldkillus..

WealArab?

9

WewaitedforoneArabtocome

pullthisthornyprickfromournecks

WewaitedforsingleQureishite

A

single

Hashemite

AsingleDonQuixote

Asinglelocalhero,forwhomtheydidnotshavethe

moustache

WewaitedforaKhalid.. Tariq.. orAntara

Wewereeatenchatter(whileengagedinvaintalk)

They

sent

a

fax

Wereaditstext

afterpayingtribute

andtheendoftheslaughter

10

What

does

Israel

fear

from

our

cries?Whatdoesshefearfromourfaxes?

TheJihadofthefaxistheweakestofJihads

Itisasingletextwewrite

forallthemartyrswholeft

andallthemartyrsthosewhowillcome

11

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WhatdoesIsraelfearfromIbnal-Muqa!a'?

Jarirand.. Farazdaq?

AndKhansathrowingherpoemsatthegatesofthe

cemetery

What

does

she

fear

if

we

burn

tires

Signcommuniqus

Anddestroyshops

Andsheknowsthatwehaveneverbeenkingsofwar

Butwerekingsofchatters

12

WhatdoesIsraelfear

fromthebeatingofthedrums

thetearingofclothes

andthescratchingofcheeks

Whatdoesshefear

when

she

hears

thestoriesof`AdandThamud?

13

Weareinnationalcomma

Wedidnotreceive

Since

the

times

of

conquestasinglemail

14

Weareapeopleofmadeofdough

ThemoreIsraelincreasesinherkillingandterrorism

themoreweincreaseinidlenessandcoldness

15

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ASmotheringDominion

Aregionaldialectthatincreasesinugliness

andagreenunionthatgrowsinisolation

Summertrees,growingbarren

Andborders.. wheneverthewhimstrikes

eraseotherborders

16

Israelshouldslaughterus,andwhynot?

SheshoulderaseHisham,Ziyadandar-Rashid,and

whynot?

[Whynot?]andtheBanuTaghlablustingaftertheir

women

[Whynot?]andBanuMazenlustingaftertheirslave

boys

[Whynot?]andBanuAdnandroppingtheirtrousers

totheirknees

debating.. neckingand.. thelips!

17

WhatshouldIsraelfearfromsomeofal-Arab

WhentheybecameYehuda???

NizarQabbani

1996

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