What Do I Say?

"What do I say" (Arabic: ماذا أقول) is a famous poem written by the Syrian poet Hasan Alkhayer (Arabic حسن الخيّر) in 1979. He criticized both the austere regime and soulless and sanctimonious militant terrorists who together crippled life in Syria in late 1970s and early 1980s. He was later kidnapped and killed, in 1980.

It was a remarkable contribution by a Syrian intellectual in recent Syria's history that added its color to the flame of life in the stagnant political atmosphere.

In this poem, Hasn succeeded in expressing - as all unique poets do - complex contemporary issues in very simple language.

Hasan Alkhayer might have been an Alawite

Some verses from his famous poem:

"'-What do I say? if saying the truth is followed by lashing whips and humid dark prison

-But I can not keep silent as silence is a vice that leads to hiding the light of truth

-And I can not lie as lying is evil, God forbid, I will not lie!

-There are two gangs: one is ruling with the name of patriotism and have none of it!

-And another gang claim good faith; and religion forbids their sayings and acts!

-Two gangs, my people be aware of, both drank from the same evil waters!"'

Above in Arabic:

ماذا أقول و قول الحق الحق يعقبه

جلد السياط و سجن مظلم رطب

فإن صمت فإن الصمت ناقصة

إن كان بالصمت نور الحق يحتجب

و إن كذبت فإن الكذب يسحقني

معاذ ربي أن يعزى لي الكذب

عصابتان هما إحداهما حكمت

باسم العروبة لا بعث و لا عرب

و آخرون مسوح الدين قد لبسوا

و الدين حرّم ما قالوا و ما ارتكبوا

عصابتان أيا شعبي فكن حذرا

جميعهم من معين السوء قد شربوا

It is important to mention that "free opinion" is the biggest taboo in Arab countries (like South American countries in the 1970s and 1980s). Armed with his pen, Hasan knew what fate was ahead of him for his free and recusant soul, for his trenchant writings attacking tyranny, and for lambasting tardiness, but it is the lesson of history: The darkness can only be cut sharp with a falling star, a meteor.

In these bloody years, both fighting factions, the regime and the fanatics, tried to align Syrians by using the sectarian differences. Poet Hasan presciently pointed to the importance of not losing the national unity that has always been an impregnable Syrian "trademark".

One of his most poignant and emotional verses are about the city of Hama. Sadly, in less than two years after Alkhayer's mysterious disappearance, Hama was in the heart of what was later called Hama massacre.

Some verses about Hama:

"'-They said (the regime): Hama is blinded by animosity so it welters; I wonder, can Hama the lair of Baath welter?

-If they (the regime) remember what Hama did to the tyrannous, they will cry in fear'

-Hama and the people of Hama were the best who held the flags of Baath up and flying

-When the people of Hama saw you (the regime) shifted away from moral principles, they honorably shifted their loyalty away from you"'

Above in Arabic

قالوا حماة عماها الحقد فاضطربت يا للعجيب عرين البعث يضطرب

لو يذكرون حماة الأمس ما فعلت

بالظالمين و بالإقطاع لانتحبوا

كانت و كان بنوها خير من رفعوا

للبعث راياته خفاقة تجب

لما رأوكم نكستم عن مبادئكم

فإنهم شرفا عن حبكم نكبوا

And because souls fade down without hope as hope is the bird that sings in our souls and the rain that gives us a new and pure life, poet Hasan keeps faith in a new land and united people:

"'-The rain will shower my thirsty land, and the darkness and clouds will leave my mountains

-There will always be one irreplaceable voice: God the great, we are all Arabs"'

سيسقط الغيث في أرضي و قد ظمئت

و ينجلي عن رباها الليل و السحب

يبقى مدى الدهر صوت لا بديل له

الله أكبر إنا كلنا عرب