غزة قرص الشمس

 

“GAZA”, THE SUN’S DISC

Written and translated by: Salah Hamad

 

Has “Gaza” fallen at a checkpoint? And

Have we fallen into the hands of the Jews?

The land narrowed and the sea narrowed,

And it rained bloody death everywhere;

All means of communication above and under the ground,

Were haphazardly torn to pieces.

Both “Gaza” and the “West Bank “are at test,

With a repeated question, roaming over “Jerusalem”:

 

               Where is the “Revolution”?

                            Where is the “State”?

               Where come the “Authority”

               And its “Army”?

               Where is the “Land” and

               Where are the “Citizens”, and

               The “Right to Return Home” is denied.

 

My homeland is occupied;

And the World is a double-dealer.

Quivering I stand between the occupying power

And the double-dealing power,

Challenging my fate!

“Thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal;

 Thou shalt not commit adultery”

  At all times, I am the one who kills,

  The one who steals,

  And the one who commits adultery.

  I do congratulate you upon trespassing

  Step by step into my country and upon

  Stabbing me one by one constantly.

  And I in the dungeon, or in the grave;

  And at best in the cramming line at the

  checkpoint, even in my house, in my field,

  at office, and at school, near the checkpoint,

 “The International Brain” is counting my breaths,

  Blessed by the Arabs’ utterance,

  Not to say by the “Arabs’ Brain” which has          deteriorated to such a hallucinating state.

  In front of the Segregation Wall I live,

  And behind the Communication Wall I die,

 

And in between segregation and communication,

The “period” with the “and” of conjunction exists.

Oh! Save our souls by such “periods” and “conjunctions”!

Help us. Aridity conquered us and the Arab oil has dried out.

Aids diminished and the world is so narrow to afford keeping us alive.

Oh God: it is our end; to you we pray for help.

I would like to console you, for Gaza has not fallen at the checkpoint.

Gaza did not fall into the pit!

Neither did the Kermel Mount fall, nor did Al Jermek Mountain.

The nation did not fall.

We neither failed in Hittin, nor in Acre.

Beware! Between ebb and tide stands the

ebb commander with horrible waves,

And on the razor’s edge, stands Saladin.

Your good tidings gloom all over Palestine.

Beware!

The secret of your good tidings glitters over Jerusalem,

And from the deep heart of darkness

Comes up a newborn from his cave.

* “This victor returned chained

Thorns blooded his feet

Crowned with laurels

Returned a Galilean!!!

The victor returned vectored

And for him lilies emanated and plums waved

For him jasmines rose and gillyflowers sang

Glory for him…” 1

   A Galilean he returned.

 And I just emerge

Between the occupying power

And the double-dealing power

Grasping this momentous instant towards Jerusalem.

 

Between the occupying power

And the double-dealing power

Lies the “period”—- Our “point” in address!

I’m the Sun’s Disc

And Jerusalem is the Sun

And Gaza is the Sun’s Disc,

And never ever could an occupying power,

Or a double dealing power screen the sun rise.

                         ***Beware***

No people could ever live in a big hole

Nor any people could ever live in a shelter.

You’ve not created the “Gaza of Hashem”.

This“Gaza of Hashem” existed before and afterwards

The“Gaza of Hashem” was made to exist and survive

Gaza is not made to be suffocated

Gaza is the Sun’s Disc

We grew up with her in time of crisis

Gaza has preserved her virginity safe against Barbarians

Gaza survived against the occupying despot and the double- dealing tyranny

Gaza won’t be patient forever

Gaza won’t then care whether the Army slept or got awake

The days of Barbarians are gone

Therefore, let Gaza live and be alive

If Gaza falls down, it will explode;

It will explode.

 

Salah Hamad 

20 July 2009 

   

*1.Reference to Adib Kawar’s translation of the poem.

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