As I walked out my past

Walking down Achrafieh

I heard a voice sing

“Lebanon has no ending” 

“I’ll love you, Dear, for ever,

Till the north and the south meet,

And El Awali jumps over the mount

And set the cat among the pigeons.”

 “I’ll love you till the statue of Jesus Christ

Shake hands with the Statue of Liberty

And the masses ’castle drink at Jezzine waterfalls

And Chatila forget her wrends and tragedy. 

But all the lights of my body

Began to whirr and chime

“Shame on you Lebanese

You cannot conquer secularity.”

 In wars, conflicts and worries

Vaguely, hope leaks away.

Plunge your face in the mirror

And wonder what you’re missed 

The bombs knock at the door,

Treason sleeps in your bed,

Death in your arak macerates

Exodus on your forehead is fated. 

That’s not my pigeon!

A lane to the land of Hebrews?

A path to the desert of Philistins?

A wall to the peace of Lebanon? 

O’ look, look in the mirror

From the snow of Sannine Mountain

Cedars remain a blessing

And your rebirth, a wish you can’t grant. 

You should love each other

You should love your neighbours

In the deep water the Master has gone

And his fine words on the world ran on. 

I’ll love you dear, for ever!