My Country is a Free Country

In the light of everything that’s happening in Egypt, the BITCH in me is honoring those that have died, that have been injured and that have taken to the streets, to oppose the passing of the draft constitution.

While wit and sarcasm rarely leave me, you’ll have to forgive me this once, because I cannot help but take a moment and speak solemnly. This humble attempt at the poetic in such dire times is dedicated to those that fight for freedom in Egypt.

They stand together, breathing heavily.

They raise their voices and chant.

They raise their hearts and pray for one thing: peace.

The guns remain pointed, looking to kill not just the people,

But the ideas they have aroused.

They release tear gas on the unmoving masses.

There is no need.

These people have been crying for days, weeks, months, years!

They weep for the destruction of their people,

Of the land that they call home;

Although it hasn’t been a home for so long.

Filled with waves of dust, pollution,

Ignorance and corruption,

The only thing keeping them rooted

Is their distant memory of how it used to be,

And their dream of what one day it could be like.

The men and women stand together.

They raise their voices, not their fists,

To say ‘STOP!’

‘Please let us live,

Let us rebuild what you have broken.

Let us speak without the fear

Of disappearing in the night,

In the back of a car,

Behind the walls

Of a covert detention centre.

Grant us permission to choose a leader

Who will rule over us justly;

Who will not let us starve for food

Or for liberty.

The guns remain pointed.

The people’s tears fall,

Still not because of the tear gas,

But because they are hungry.

Hungry for change;

Hungry for justice.

And they stand unmoving because,

The only thing that counts

Is the unity, here and now.

One voice turns into ten.

Ten voices grow into a hundred;

One hundred into one thousand

And still it grows louder

Than their gunshots,

Louder than fear.

‘We are this place.

The millions that inhabit the land,

Not those who have abused

Their positions, time and time again.

Not they who only care for dominion;

Not they who have neglected the people

Leaving the masses to grow sick with illness

And ignorance, whilst they stock up

On riches from the land which the workers

Fight to preserve.

But riches cannot protect them from justice.

We don’t want your riches; we want our freedom!’

Man, woman, child stand in solidarity.

Christians and Muslims cross bridges

That they’ve tried to burn for years,

To say ‘NO’ to injustice.

Our country is a free country!

It was not meant to be like this.

Once upon a time, we were

Philosophers, artists, scientists.

We are tired of fighting for scraps.

Our Egypt is a free Egypt.

The Egypt in my heart has always been that way!

The Egypt in my heart is a place of more than enough;

It is never lacking.

It is the source of endless love, happiness and food!

We are the land that loves to open our arms

To travellers with no home.

We are the land where women

Are not repressed by state,

Religion, or men.

We are not a country of double-standards

Built on class, religious sects and sex.

My Egypt is a fair and free Egypt.

Where my religion is not important

And doesn’t define me on all official papers.

Where I don’t have to explain myself

If I choose not to cover my head.

Where respect is something you carry

In your heart and not in a garment that you wear.

Where a difference in opinion is welcomed, not taunted.

In my heart, Egypt is not dirty.

Egypt is not corrupt.

Egypt is not hungry.

Egypt is not considered third world.

In my heart, my Egypt is hope.

Hope that there is more

And that voices can change

The course of bullets.

Hope that no one can dictate anything

That is unfair and destructive over us.

Hope that we will succeed.

Hope that we will succeed any tyrant

Be it now or later.

Egypt is free. Egypt will always be free.