In that public square
named for fate and history
as though it knew what was to come
we stood our ground
saying, we will not be moved
painted poems on the hard asphalt
that had softened, soaking in our blood
and the world watched.
The world watched as we were called
traitors
and on television screens
in homes, doors locked refusing to let in
the truth,
men spit scorn into cameras
and women screamed into their phones
eyes and hearts full of rage
unable to understand
that Tahrir was theirs, for them,
while government eyes showed only what they wanted
us to see
the sun setting over the Nile
but all it would take, was the smallest turn of the head to the left
a glance from the corner of the eye
to show the haze of Cairo's sun through tear gas,
to show men charging the street with only their bodies
met with police trucks running them down.
Newspapers wrote of unrest across the Mediterranean
pretending that this day that had begun in Cairo
was like any other.
But something had begun.
Men and women shook the earth
with their voices.
From north to south
bodies fell to the ground, hearts stopped beating
but in Tahrir, we held our heads high for them
moving away from the walls that, our whole lives
we had walked close to, hiding in the shadow
of conformity and fear
opened our chests to murder
opened our faces to rocks, our eyes to bullets
our minds to molotov fires thrown down onto our heads
and said
we are not afraid
because the fear of living with your face buried
in the soil of a land that can no longer feel
is nothing, nothing compared to
the fear of dying
without once having said
I am free.
Comments
fatboy74 | February 15, 2011 - 17:58
Heartfelt and powerful, just a wonderful read. :-)
luigi_pagano | February 15, 2011 - 18:45
Hello Nancy. Watching the events on television I thought of you and wondered if you were safe during the demonstrations. Nice to hear your voice again echoing that of your compatriots clamouring for freedom.
You have expressed their and your sentiments with this strong poem. The final stanza summarises nicely the swell of emotions. Keep well.
Luigi x
Highhat | February 15, 2011 - 18:46
Beautiful. Thank you for the power felt in this.
we all watched and waited alongside.
nancy_am | February 15, 2011 - 19:10
Thank you all for your comments and your thoughts.
Luigi - during the height of the violence I was far from the demonstrations, but I went to Tahrir before Mubarak stepped down - and it was like nothing I have ever experienced in my life. I have never been filled with so much pride, to be able to be a tiny part of something so big, it's something that will stay with me for the rest of my life.
N.
insertponceyfre... | February 15, 2011 - 23:29
i thought of you too Nancy, and this is beautiful. well done
JoseHdz | February 16, 2011 - 01:43
wow, really very beautiful on many levels. peace and love.
salud,
jose.
Mangone | February 16, 2011 - 09:00
“I went to Tahrir before Mubarak stepped down - and it was like nothing I have ever experienced in my life.”
Interesting that you say that Nancy because I’ve been thinking about those things in life which we take for granted and which are beyond science and logic.
The ‘mood’ of an audience, the ‘atmosphere’ at pop concerts, or any large gathering, that communicates through a sixth sense that we cannot explain yet testifies to something greater than the individual awareness that it washes over.
Like the memory of a great concert I hope the experience you had in Liberation Square will always be with you… waiting there to lend a little warmth and reassurance if ever it is needed.
Good luck to you and Ginger and to Egypt - may you always be free!
tcook | February 16, 2011 - 13:09
Wonderful Nancy - I too was thinking of you and I am so glad that you have been able to write it down in your usual eloquent and sytlish manner. Congratulations on all fronts!
This is our Facebook and Twitter pick of the day.
Join us on Facebook at ABCtales.com
Join us on Twitter @tcookabctales
Get a great reading recommendation most days.
littleditty | February 16, 2011 - 13:23
beautiful, powerful and moving - enjoyed reading your poem very much x
gingeresque | February 16, 2011 - 13:57
beautiful beautiful beautiful! you are so inspiring as always! the fear of dying without having once said i am free, a7a ya nancy that line hit home!
SundaysChild | February 17, 2011 - 12:26
Superb.
All the best.
seashore | February 17, 2011 - 13:46
Stunning
RachelPatricia | February 18, 2011 - 12:18
What a powerful POW, nancy - this is amazing, congratulations indeed :)
Anna Marie | February 18, 2011 - 17:53
This made me realize I take my freedom for granted.
Thank you Nancy for this powerful read. It was beautiful, heartfelt and awe-inspiring! You're amazing.
tcook | February 20, 2011 - 17:21
Wow - look at those reads clocking up. Do pass this on to others and encourage them to read it. It deserves a very wide audience! Stick it on your Facebook page or just email all of your mates with the url - http://www.abctales.com/story/nancy-am/tahrir-egypt - and tell them to come and read it!
simonbarget (not verified) | February 21, 2011 - 10:45
Horribly cliched, all of it, which makes me quite happy
simonbarget (not verified) | February 24, 2011 - 09:30
It's just cliched rubbish - boring and correct
Highhat | February 24, 2011 - 10:22
Dear sb- this is the revoltution put into words. There is nothing boring about it. It's as close as you get from our side of the fence.
"Men and women shook the earth with their voices. . ." where are the clichees? I think that if you were expecting some other description for this revolution it would not be more clicheed and incorrect.
simonbarget (not verified) | February 24, 2011 - 12:02
Hahaha. And even more sickly saccharinely pallid yet aiming at such majesty - "But something had begun."
Had it?
Highhat | February 24, 2011 - 14:49
It would be clicheed- typo
simonbarget (not verified) | February 24, 2011 - 15:39
Is it, Ill have to check
Highhat | February 24, 2011 - 16:55
No I didn't mean your spelling. I meant that another version of the revolution in Egypt may very well be cliched. I don't find this story the least bit cliched on the contrary rather descriptive-
nancy_am | May 20, 2011 - 12:13
Thank you all for your kind comments and for understanding where this poem comes from. ABC Tales poem of the week and featured in the Guardian - what more could I ask for? :)
Simon -you're entitled to your opinion and I would welcome constructive criticism but do you really feel it necessary to just throw out insults? You may be one of those self-deprecating writers who tells people how awful your writing is to squeeze a compliment out of them but I'm not. I'm proud of this poem and what it stands for - the time that I spent in Tahrir, where I stood up for what really matters. Your snide remarks are a waste of your time and mine.
simonbarget (not verified) | May 21, 2011 - 12:56
No am not meaning to be snide or nasty - just didn't think the piece was good. Of course it all depends on how critical one sets out to be in the sense of giving one's best, authentic, honest reaction to a piece of work. I try to do this, when perhaps it is understood that such an evaluation is not being sought in certain contexts.
Also, as an aside, when I do this, it can reveal my flaws, misunderstanding etc., so it required at least a modicum of courage.
simonbarget (not verified) | May 21, 2011 - 13:10
Can I just say, and I think I should as i am in the mood: there is nothing about the language or meter that I object to, (I don't think I'm qualified anyway), it is the prevailing idea of the poem.
I felt at the time that the overriding assumption that good was being done was an assumption that I didn't feel rushed to make. Just as all commercial media seeks to aggrandise and vilify in the most basic of ways. It's not that I necessarily disagreed with the general assessment of events, but that I didn't feel informed, or, let it be said, interested enough to go into automatic rejoicing mode. Your poem repeats sentiments based on similar unacceptable assumptions - that we're all interested, that it matters, and that we're an in a position to judge. The easiest and one-dimensional thing: to report on something ostensibly rousing, and say, "yes, oh my god, it is quite rousing, and more than that, ground-breaking."
nancy_am | May 24, 2011 - 13:04
And again - you are of course free to think whatever you want of the poem - but if you feel that you need to respond to the writing or concept - I would have appreciated had you made that explanation from the very beginning rather than just call it rubbish.
As someone who was at the very centre of it as it all happened - I can tell you without a doubt that it was a good thing. Of course there have been negative elements that have come out of the revolution - but what revolution doesn't have negative consequences? And it's far from over. But that doesn't stop us from celebrating and being proud of what we achieved.
At least I didn't call it the facebook revolution.