POEM: January 25, 2011

Listen to this poem using the player above.

This poem begins with a quote from Egyptian TV host Ahmad El Esseily. (via this article)

January 25, 2011

“The regime
has been
            convincing us
very well
that we cannot do it
            but Tunisians
gave us an idea
and it took us
only three days
            and we did it.”

and like that, the curtain
of sand came down

in Tahrir Square the people
tens of thousands of the people
chanted

Muslims!
            Christians!
We are all
            Egyptians!

and like that, another iron-
hearted scarecrow fled
to his hotel room

where only
his most trusted
            retainers remained
to tell him he was
right, he would return

for this was no longer his land
these people no longer his people

in this land of slaves and slave owners
there is a history of breaking shackles

sometimes      one      link      at      a      time

sometimes allatonce