Dedicated
to the “great man” on the occasion of the “Great War”
-I-
Congratulations, sir.
Congratulations.
Congratulations,
and many heart-felt
felicitations
on
this glorious and memorable occasion.
On this very day,
more than twenty years ago,
you brought
honor
to your nation.
On this very day
you fought valiantly
against
the enemy,
and your defeat
was not easy.
We are rightfully made
to celebrate this feat,
every year.
On this very day
you stood alone
against
the world
without fear,
or consternation.
And you fought on
and on
with little,
or no hesitation.
And
your defeat
was not easy.
We are rightfully, indeed,
made to celebrate this feat,
every year.
Every year.
Many brave men died then,
naturally.
Many mothers grieved,
children orphaned.
Buildings destroyed.
But you lived on, sir.
And you live on still,
a symbol of
glory,
a symbol
of victory,
with a new twist,
a novel connotation.
For
your defeat
is
not easy.
No.
Your defeat is not easy.
We all rightfully have to
commemorate this feat
every year.
Every year.
For truly, sir,
truly,
truly,
you are the pride
of
your nation.
-II-
You were an idealist, sir.
Once,
at the very beginning
of your career,
you were
an idealist.
I am sure of it, sir.
I am sure of it.
Once,
not too long ago,
you actually managed
to
accomplish something.
You actually managed
to inspire hope, sir,
at least
in some of us.
And you believed
in what you were doing,
and that is the most
important point, sir,
you actually believed
in what you were doing.
Perhaps with all your heart, sir.
Perhaps
with all your heart.
I am sure of it, sir.
I am sure of it.
Then,
something must have happened, sir.
Something must have happened
to you, sir.
Inside of you, sir.
Something deviant.
Something evil.
Something all-too-human
and
all-too-bad.
Something that
switched on
the devil in you,
and
turned you absolutely mad,
with greed,
with thirst,
with lust.
Yes. With lust, sir.
Oh, yes. With lust.
And now,
now you make love to tyranny
every day.
And you hate the world,
the forever rebellious,
uncontrollable world,
every day, sir.
Every day.
Every humbling,
shaming,
back-breaking
day.
And I pity you for it, sir.
Oh yes, I do.
Oh yes, I do.
I pity you.
-III-
You are intelligent, sir.
Oh, yes.
You are intelligent,
you are intelligent,
you are wise.
You know how to disguise
the facts
so well,
and tie a
colorful blindfold
around our willing eyes.
Oh, yes.
You are wise, sir.
Oh, yes. You are wise.
You taught us well
how to uncover
sublime truths
in your
most obvious lies,
and praise all
your devilish deeds
that spelled the demise
of our freedom,
of our innocence.
Of
our innocence.
And by baptizing us
with our own cold sweat,
you showed us well
how to
sacrifice
everything we have
in this world,
for a single
fiendish
smile of approval
breaking out
of
your blood-soaked
lips.
October 1995
Note: Syrians and Syria experts would probably have managed to guess the identity of the “Great Man” after the first few lines. It is indeed the late Syrian President, Hafiz Al-Assad. The “Great War” in question is the October War of 1973.