Everitte Barbee
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Mazen's Bullet رصاصة مازن

The poem “(Stray) Bullet” by Lebanese-Palestinian poet, Mazen Maarouf, is written exactly once in the Diwani Jali Arabic calligraphy script to create the image of a man (bearing the likeness of Mazen, himself) being struck by a stylized bullet. 42x29cm (Translations at the bottom.)

This piece was one of eight designs, commissioned by Reels Festivals to accompany their poetry publication featuring contemporary poets from Lebanon, Syria, and Scotland. One piece was commissioned for each of the eight poets featured in the festival. In preparation for the festival, all of the poets travelled to Lebanon in order to translate each others poems from Arabic to English and vice versa, this is one of those recently translated poems.

Although I’ve only ever heard Mazen refer to himself as Palestinian, he has spent his entire life living as a refugee in Lebanon. Currently working in Iceland, having left Lebanon for security reasons, he has published a number of books including Kaan Hoznona Khobz/It was our sadness as bread (2000) and Camera La Taltaket Al Aasafir/The camera does not frame birds (2004).

Signed Limited Edition Prints Available Here.

Stray Bullet

After crossing the living room,

the library,

the long hallway

and the picture that holds us on a trip to the River Alkalb,

then passing the automatic washing machine,

and my mother, exhausted

despite the automatic washing machine,

it bends its trajectory with the force of gravity

and finally rests

at the back of my head

where it kills you.

English Translation by Mazen Maarouf and Lauren Pyott.

الرصاصة

رصاصة طائشة

بعد ان عبرت غرفة الجلوس

فالمكتبة

فممر البيت

فالصورة التي تجمعنا في رحلة إلى نهر الكلب

فالغسالة الاوتوماتيك

وأمي المرهقة

رغم الغسالة الاوتوماتيك.

أحنت قليلا مسارها بفعل الجاذبية

واستقرت

أسفل رأسي

في الخلف

وقتلتْكِ.