The New Nile
The New Nile
Homage to the Egyptian Revolution
When Egypt fed the world with corn,
It sucked the breast-milk of the Nile;
The Pharaoh’s power, the Roman guile
Drank from that plenteous horn.
The new Nile is a Nile of light,
The world’s bright screens, the cellphone’s glow;
The fertile information-flow
Makes fires in the night.
The new Nile is a Nile of tears,
Of mourning for her children who,
Dying in giving, overthrew
The tyranny of years.
The new Nile flows with liberty,
For today tyrants everywhere
Shake in their boots with doubt and fear
They will be swept to sea.
1Internet John
wrote on 15 February 2011 at 10:24
Bravo. I’ll be showing this around at school–I hope you don’t mind.
2Frederick Turner
wrote on 21 February 2011 at 19:11
I certainly wouldn’t mind! It’s a public poem in every respect.
3Frederick Turner
wrote on 26 February 2011 at 16:46
Could anyone translate this poem into Arabic? PEN International (U.S. Southwestern region)would like to put it together with other tributes and send them to the Egyptian PEN.
4Troy Camplin
wrote on 28 February 2011 at 2:37
Kristen Hauck might be able to