Hissa Hilal - حصة هلال

(Editor/translator's note: This poem is American English adaptation of a poem performed this year by Hissa Hilal in the United Arab Emirates’ capital, Abu Dhabi, on the popular poetry contest, "The Million's Poet" which is broadcast all over the Middle East.  The poem addresses the Arab world but its word's are strangely applicable to the Western world as well. The translation from the video performance of Hissa Hilal is by Hadeel al-Barrack. The English language adaptation is by Barbara Flaherty. Below is both a video of her performance with another's translation as well. We offer our translation to Ms Hilal as a gift to a poet who inspires all creative persons to speak truth to power.)

Ms Hilal's Introduction

Fear of speaking out keeps poets silent,

while danger surrounds our nation.

Poets speak only of temporary needs,

and personal issues, here where real words

fearlessly spoken are the true need. This matters,

those who could speak choose to be speechless.
__________

Ms Hilal's Poem

I have seen evil in the eyes of men,

who talk as if they were religious men,

rude, not human, angry, they give their legal

orders to the faithful. Allowed things become

forbidden! They cover their ugly thoughts

with nice talk, but put on death and wrap it

under their belt, with terror up their sleeves.

We live in an era when forbidden things

are allowed! Political people terrorize

human beings, try to make peace their prey.

O my nation, you are between barking dogs.

I can see you in the dark.

Copyright of English language poem by Barbara Flaherty,

Biography:

Hissa Hilal is a published poet who has previously worked as poetry editor for the London-headquartered Arab daily Al-Hayat, as well as a proud mother of four. Born to a family of Bedouins from Al Malihan tribe, Hilal has been writing in both the classical Arabic and colloquial styles of poetry since the age of 11 and has two published poetry collections: “Lahjat Al Hail” and “Al Nadawi”. She chooses to use provocative language in her poems because “extremism is so strong and you cannot talk about it in any other way.”

Hissa Hilal has most recently edited a controversial collection of pre-1950s poems written by Bedouin women, titled “Divorce and Kholu’ Poetry - A Reading of the Status of Women in Tribal Society - Nabati Poetry as a Witness.” The 297-page anthology was published by The Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage’s Poetry Academy and is divided into two main sections.  The first section is titled “The Right of Choice”; the second speaks of “Rejection and Resistance.” (Source: Muslim Women, an online journal)