Al-Juththa (The Corpse)

from Aynama-Rtama by Alif

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lyrics

عَذّبوا الجُثّةَ
حَتّى طَلعَ الفَجْرُ مُنهَكاً وقامَ الديكُ يحتجُّ
غَرَسوا في لَحْمِها السَّنانير. جَلَدوها بِأسلاكِ الكَهْرُباء
عَلَّقوها مِنَ المِرْوَحَة

عِنْدَما تَعِبَ الجَلّادونَ أَخيراً
وَاسْتراحوا، حَرّكَت الجُثّةُ إصْبعَها الصَّغير
فَتَحَتْ عَينيها الجَريحَتَيْن
وَتَمْتَمَتْ شَيْئاً

هَل كانَتْ تَطلُبُ ماءً؟ هَلْ كانَتْ تُريدُ خُبزاً يا تُرى؟
هَل كانَتْ تَلْعَنُهُم أَم تُطالِبُ بِالمَزيد؟

ماذا كانَت الجُثّةُ تُريد؟

- شعر لسركون بولص. الترجمة الانجليزية لناريمان يوسف

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They tortured the corpse
until dawn broke, exhausted,
and the rooster rose to protest.
They planted hooks in its flesh.

They flogged it with electrical wires,
they hung it from the ceiling fan.

When the executioners finally tired
and rested, the corpse moved one little finger,
opened its wounded eyes,
and murmured
something.

Was it demanding water? Was it bread that it wanted?
Was it cursing them or asking for more?

What did the corpse want?

- Poem by Sargon Boulus. English translation by Nariman Youssef.

credits

from Aynama-Rtama, released September 4, 2015
All music composed, arranged, performed and produced by Alif. Poem by Sargon Boulus.

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about

Alif Beirut, Lebanon

Rhythmic drive and fervour, innovative instrumentation and poignant avant-garde words coalesced as an intense labyrinth of sound and emotion. Alif is the collective sound of five musicians at the forefront of independent music in the Arab world, feat. Khyam Allami (Oud), Tamer Abu Ghazaleh (Vocals/Buzuq), Bashar Farran (Bass), Maurice Louca (Keys/Electronics) and Khaled Yassine (Drums/Percussion). ... more

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