“And I Decided (From Arabic)
And I decided to go
Round the world on freedom's bicycle
By ways illegal
As the travels of wind.
When asked for my address
I give the address of all sidewalks
I chose as permanent residence.
When asked for my papers,
I show them your eyes
And am allowed to pass
For they know that travel in the cities of your eyes, my dear,
Is the right of all world citizens.
وقررت
نزار قباني
وقررت
أن أطوفَ العالمَ على درّاجة الحرِّية..
وبنفسِ الطريقةِ غيرِ الشرعيِّة
التي تستعملها الريح عندما تسافر..
وإذا سأَلوني
عن عُنواني
أعطيتُهم عنوانَ كلِّ الأرصِفة
التي اخترتها مكاناً دائماً لإقامتي.
وإذا سألوني عن أوراقي
أريتُهُم عينيكِ، يا حبيبتي..
فَتَرَكوني أمرّ..
لأنهم يعرفونَ أنَّ السفر في مدائن عينيكِ..
من حق جميع المواطينَ في العالم”
―
And I decided to go
Round the world on freedom's bicycle
By ways illegal
As the travels of wind.
When asked for my address
I give the address of all sidewalks
I chose as permanent residence.
When asked for my papers,
I show them your eyes
And am allowed to pass
For they know that travel in the cities of your eyes, my dear,
Is the right of all world citizens.
وقررت
نزار قباني
وقررت
أن أطوفَ العالمَ على درّاجة الحرِّية..
وبنفسِ الطريقةِ غيرِ الشرعيِّة
التي تستعملها الريح عندما تسافر..
وإذا سأَلوني
عن عُنواني
أعطيتُهم عنوانَ كلِّ الأرصِفة
التي اخترتها مكاناً دائماً لإقامتي.
وإذا سألوني عن أوراقي
أريتُهُم عينيكِ، يا حبيبتي..
فَتَرَكوني أمرّ..
لأنهم يعرفونَ أنَّ السفر في مدائن عينيكِ..
من حق جميع المواطينَ في العالم”
―
“Arab children,
Corn ears of the future,
You will break our chains,
Kill the opium in our heads,
Kill the illusions.
Arab children,
Don't read about our suffocated generation,
We are a hopeless case.
We are as worthless as a water-melon rind.
Dont read about us,
Dont ape us,
Dont accept us,
Dont accept our ideas,
We are a nation of crooks and jugglers.
Arab children,
Spring rain,
Corn ears of the future,
You are the generation
That will overcome defeat. ”
―
Corn ears of the future,
You will break our chains,
Kill the opium in our heads,
Kill the illusions.
Arab children,
Don't read about our suffocated generation,
We are a hopeless case.
We are as worthless as a water-melon rind.
Dont read about us,
Dont ape us,
Dont accept us,
Dont accept our ideas,
We are a nation of crooks and jugglers.
Arab children,
Spring rain,
Corn ears of the future,
You are the generation
That will overcome defeat. ”
―
“Our shouting is louder than our actions,
Our swords are taller than us,
This is our tragedy.
In short
We wear the cape of civilisation
But our souls live in the stone age”
―
Our swords are taller than us,
This is our tragedy.
In short
We wear the cape of civilisation
But our souls live in the stone age”
―
Hisham’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at Hisham’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
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