Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Brown headed Barbet

All barbets are mostly similar; they are strictly arboreal, leafy plumage with larger head, thick bill that have bristles. They are characterized by short and strong legs with zygodactyl claws (two facing front two facing back). Short wings and weak flight they could be seen devouring fruits. Brown barbets have chocolate brown head and darkish yellow bill, conspicuous orange patch around the eyes.

Aboul- Qacem El chebbi: a revolutionary poet

Darkness will disappear, chains will
certainly break!
When the people wants to live, destiny
must surely respond

Aboul- Qacem El chebbi (1909-1934) is one of the most revered Tunisian poet, the above stanza was added by him into the national anthem of the nation. He wrote poetry on various topics from early part of this childhood. His concerns seemed to be revolved around the nature of patriotism. Though i couldn’t get many of his poems on the Net but this poem To the tyrants of the World became a popular chant during the recent protests not only in Tunisia but also in Egypt. He therefore acquires significance, a poet whose words can still move generation of people across the social spectrum to join hands to ouster despots and dictators, lines that can create revolution across nations. That is astounding. What makes it incredible is he was only 25 when he died.

English translation of the poem "Ela Toghat Al Alaam" (To the tyrants of the world)

Hey you, the unfair tyrants...
You the lovers of the darkness...
You the enemies of life...
You've made fun of innocent people's wounds; and your palm covered with their blood
You kept walking while you were deforming the charm of existence and growing seeds of sadness in their land

Wait, don't let the spring, the clearness of the sky and the shine of the morning light fool you...
Because the darkness, the thunder rumble and the blowing of the wind are coming toward you from the horizon
Beware because there is a fire underneath the ash
Who grows thorns will reap wounds
You've taken off heads of people and the flowers of hope; and watered the cure of the sand with blood and tears until it was drunk
The blood's river will sweep you away and you will be burned by the fiery storm.

In original Arabic

ألا أيها الظالم المستبد
حبيب الظلام عدو الحياه
سخرت بأنات شعب ضعيف
و كفك مخضوبة من دماه
و سرت تشوه سحر الوجود
و تبذر شوك الاسى في رباه
رويدك لا يخدعنك الربيع
و صحو الفضاء و ضوء الصباح
ففي الافق الرحب هول الظلام و قصف الرعود و عصف الرياح
حذار فتحت الرماد اللهيب
و من يبذر الشوك يجن الجراح
تأمل هنالك انى حصدت رؤوس الورى و زهور الأمل
و رويت بالدم قلب التراب اشربته الدمع حتى ثمل
سيجرفك سيل الدماء
و يأكلك العاصف المشتعل