He Embraces His Murderer Poem by Mahmoud Darwish

He Embraces His Murderer

Rating: 5.0


He embraces his murderer.
May he win his heart: Do you feel angrier if I survive?
Brother…My brother!
What did I do to make you destroy me?
Two birds fly overhead.
Why don't you shoot upwards?
What do you say?
You grew tired of my embrace and my smell.
Aren't you just as tired of the fear within me?
Then throw your gun in the river! What do you say?
The enemy on the riverbank aims his machine gun at an embrace?
Shoot the enemy!
Thus we avoid the enemy's bullets and keep from falling into sin.
What do you say?
You'll kill me so the enemy can go to our home
And descend again into the law of the jungle?
What did you do with my mother's coffee; with your mother's coffee?
What crime did I commit to make you destroy me?
I will never
Cease embracing you.
And I will never
Release you.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Seamus O Brian 15 February 2018

Intriguing concepts here. I feel perhaps the non-western thought patterns presenting new perspectives on a difficult subject. In truth, a murderer must always have the memory of his victim embracing him through the remainder of this life. To a conscience that is not already hardened beyond remorse, this would be a terrible burden to carry, I think

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Seamus O Brian 15 February 2018

(Part 2) I struggle a bit as to the specific identity of the enemy reference. Is this hate? Or a disembodied (re-embodied?) representation of murder itself?

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M Asim Nehal 25 April 2016

There is no other way on earth to face the death and your murderer then to embrace him and make him feel guilty of what he is doing. A thought provoking poem, Indeed.

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azel obeca 20 April 2019

What type of words and sentences used? And what are the figurative are the figurative language used?

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Haoran T 15 February 2018

An creative poem..I believe that forgiving and embracing your murder needs the greatest benevolence and courage.

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Susan Williams 15 February 2018

I wonder- would being forgiven sting a murderer worse than any other punishment? A thought provoking poem

1 1 Reply
Richard Wlodarski 15 February 2018

This kind of poetry is so greatly needed in these tumultuous times! To embrace one's murderer, and forgive him for the greatest sin, is indeed an act of great love. One that would bring tears to the eyes of Jesus.

2 0 Reply
Edward Kofi Louis 15 February 2018

The enemy on the riverbank! ! Thanks for sharing this poem with us.

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