Anwar Hamed

Anwar Hamed is a London-based Hungarian-Palestinian novelist, critic, and poet. As a multi-linguist, Hamed traverses between English, Arabic, Hebrew and Hungarian for his creative and academic contributions including the much applauded, Being Palestinian: Personal Reflections on Palestinian Identity in the Diaspora. He has published eight novels including The Stones of Pain, Sheherazade Tells Tales No More, Grounded Birds, as well as the International Prize for Arabic Fiction nominee, Jaffa Makes the Morning Coffee. Currently, he works for BBC World Service and is a member of a society known as Bush Writers.

The Butterfly

She, who’s sick dancing with kings
Wants to fly, but got no wings
She, who dates orchids and tulips
Wants to smile, but finds no true lips
She , who blooms with every new spring
Parted with dance and will never sing
Once upon an autumn night
When the moon smiled
and her mood was right
She walked the meadows
leap by leap
Leaving behind
all the ghosts asleep
For she was called
for an evening date
And she hates to make
the full moon wait
But, then said a voice,
your leash is tight
“So what ?” said she,
I will fight, will fight !
I longed for light
for so long years
But beware, said he,
this will bring tears
For light guides you
its steps never tire
it seduces your soul
it wakens your desire
But never get close
And restrain your desire
For light was born
To a wild, wild fire,
That burns, burns, burns
With flames so rough and dire
She, who yearned for a distant star
Has been looming nets so far
But the wind who sniffed the trap
Dropped false fairies in her lap
She welcomed them with a sad, lost eye
And cheered the wind, and thanked the sky