Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Shachar Mario Mordechai

Mohammed Bouazizi

 
I am Mohammed Bouazizi
and even though I died
and lived in Tunisia where I was crushed by the feet of dictators,
I am telling you
that Tunisia is a country in which you can hold your head high
if you want to.
 
I myself once thought it couldn’t happen
and I thought: as more and more years go by,
it is less and less possible.
 
How foolish we were, a generation that grew smarter at universities,
but was not smart enough to raise its head on time. I’m telling you:
freedom ignites in the most hidden and beautiful curve in our hearts,
in what we wear underneath our skin.
And I’m telling you: if we change our future, we will also change
the way in which our past is judged.
 
Wake up, brothers, from Tunisia and Libya to Egypt and Syria,
don't be afraid of being close to the soil and the fire.
Listen:
 
I am Mohammed Bouazizi
I am dead and alive in this world of yours
crushed by the feet of dictators,
and I am telling you
that there is no country in this world in which you cannot raise your head
if you want to.

מוחמד אלבועזיזי, محمد البوعزيزي

מוחמד אלבועזיזי, محمد البوعزيزي

 
אֲנִי מֻחַמַּד בּוּעְזִיזִי,
וְעַל אַף שֶׁמַּתִּי
וְחָיִיתִי בְּתוּנִיסְיָה, שֶׁבָּהּ נִרְמַסְתִּי לְרַגְלֵי עָרִיצִים,
אֲנִי אוֹמֵר לָכֶם
שֶׁתּוּנִיסְיָה הִיא אֶרֶץ שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לְהָרִים בָּהּ ראשׁ
אִם רוֹצִים.
 
גַּם אֲנִי חָשַׁבְתִּי פַּעַם שֶׁזֶּה לֹא יָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת.
וְחָשַׁבְתִּי: כְּכָל שֶׁיּוֹתֵר וְיוֹתֵר עוֹבְרוֹת הַשָּׁנִים
זֶה פָּחוֹת וּפָחוֹת יָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת.
 
אֵיזֶה טִפְּשִׁים הָיִינוּ. דּוֹר שֶׁהִשְׂכִּיל בָּאוּנִיבֶרְסִיטָה, וְלֹא הִשְׂכִּיל
לְהָרִים רֹאשׁ בַּזְּמַן. אֲבָל אֲנִי אוֹמֵר לָכֶם:
חֵרוּת נִצֶּתֶת מֵהַקִּמּוּר הַמֻּצְנָע וְהַיָּפֶה בְּיוֹתֵר שֶׁל הַלֵּב,
מִמָּה שֶׁאָנוּ לוֹבְשִׁים מִתַּחַת לְעוֹרֵנוּ.
וַאֲנִי אוֹמֵר לָכֶם: אִם נְשַׁנֶּה אֶת הֶעָתִיד, נְשַׁנֶּה גַּם אֶת הַדֶּרֶךְ
שֶׁבָּהּ יִשָּׁפֵט עֲבָרֵנוּ.
 
הִתְנַעֲרוּ, אַחִים, מִתּוּנִיסְיָה וְלוּב וְעַד סוּרְיָה וּמִצְרַיִם;
אַל פַּחַד מִן הַסָּמוּךְ כְּעָפָר וּמֵמִית כְּאֵשׁ כִּירַיִם.
הַקְשִׁיבוּ
 
אֲנִי מֻחַמַּד בּוּעְזִיזִי,
אֲנִי מֵת, וְחַי בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה שֶׁלָּכֶם,
שֶׁנִּרְמָס לְרַגְלֵי עָרִיצִים;
וַאֲנִי אוֹמֵר לָכֶם
שֶׁאֵין בָּעוֹלָם אֶרֶץ שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לִזְקֹף בָּהּ קוֹמָה
אִם רוֹצִים.
Close

Mohammed Bouazizi

 
I am Mohammed Bouazizi
and even though I died
and lived in Tunisia where I was crushed by the feet of dictators,
I am telling you
that Tunisia is a country in which you can hold your head high
if you want to.
 
I myself once thought it couldn’t happen
and I thought: as more and more years go by,
it is less and less possible.
 
How foolish we were, a generation that grew smarter at universities,
but was not smart enough to raise its head on time. I’m telling you:
freedom ignites in the most hidden and beautiful curve in our hearts,
in what we wear underneath our skin.
And I’m telling you: if we change our future, we will also change
the way in which our past is judged.
 
Wake up, brothers, from Tunisia and Libya to Egypt and Syria,
don't be afraid of being close to the soil and the fire.
Listen:
 
I am Mohammed Bouazizi
I am dead and alive in this world of yours
crushed by the feet of dictators,
and I am telling you
that there is no country in this world in which you cannot raise your head
if you want to.

Mohammed Bouazizi

 
I am Mohammed Bouazizi
and even though I died
and lived in Tunisia where I was crushed by the feet of dictators,
I am telling you
that Tunisia is a country in which you can hold your head high
if you want to.
 
I myself once thought it couldn’t happen
and I thought: as more and more years go by,
it is less and less possible.
 
How foolish we were, a generation that grew smarter at universities,
but was not smart enough to raise its head on time. I’m telling you:
freedom ignites in the most hidden and beautiful curve in our hearts,
in what we wear underneath our skin.
And I’m telling you: if we change our future, we will also change
the way in which our past is judged.
 
Wake up, brothers, from Tunisia and Libya to Egypt and Syria,
don't be afraid of being close to the soil and the fire.
Listen:
 
I am Mohammed Bouazizi
I am dead and alive in this world of yours
crushed by the feet of dictators,
and I am telling you
that there is no country in this world in which you cannot raise your head
if you want to.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère