Where Paul opened his eyes and where Salah ad-Din closed his

Who am I to praise Damascus ?

Is the glorious waiting for me ?



Who am I to glorify a city bigger than History ?

Who am I to repeat the obvious or to confirm it ?


Damascus,

Where Apostle Paul saw the light

Where Salah ad-Din closed his eyes


Damascus,

Where Ommaya held the universal-torch

Where the Crusaders met genuine-Christianity


Damascus,

Where the silk met the swords

Where the poets sang to the scientists .


Where the perfumes raised their values

by touching the skins of the virtuous.


Damascus,

where Saint John the Baptist's head is kept

where my head bows down....


Dimashk !!

you need me not

you, the endless and eternal

the divine and yet mortal .


Dimashk,

A deep-well

from which drank Prophet Mohammad

and all the first Christians.


Dimashk !!

that untouched virgin

for which kneel all her admirers

and I am one of them.



Raja Chemayel

Damascus, August 2009