Idris Tayeb (Libya, 1952)

The Drawing Book

Dedicated to: A children born today

This is a new morning, which belongs to a school boy
Who looks sadly at his childhood
Contemplating the road silently
Asking it about the beauty which flies away from his toys everyday,

He sees me, so he spreads out between us a tearful smile
- Come, come nearer
Was it you who has created the earth in the darkness of the first dawn?
- Me? He says crying,
She even refuses our games and we cry in front of her for so long
to give us one single laugh

- My son, dont be so sad
If the earth is not suitable to your fantasy, create another one for us
Your hands are strongly perfumed of the primordial clay,
And I will help your genius sparkle
Dont look back and change it,
Change its rivers, trees, deserts, missiles and bombs,
By your own hand you will create it

So, choose carefully its schools, birds, gardens and smiles,
Dont be afraid of your drawing teacher,
She will be very happy
And will be surprised seeing herself breathing in your hand,
While you invent a fantasy for her paintbrush

What is worrying you now is only how to begin,
Throw your worries, release your wings,
You will fly like all butterflies

Tranlated by the author

Idris Tayeb was born in El Marj (Libya), in 1952. He studied Communicational Science and Journalism in Finland. Upon returning to his country, he worked as a journalist after 1968. In 1973 he was a correspondent for the Libyan press in Sweden and Finland. In 1978 he was imprisoned for life in Tripoli. After his release by a pardon in 1988, he dedicated himself fully to writing. He writes poems, essays, short stories and pieces of art criticism. From 1992 to 2000 he lived in Rome as Cultural Attaché of the Libyan Embassy in Italy and he worked for four years as Professor of Arab Letters in the Third University of the Italian capital. From 2000 until mid-2005 he was the Cultural Attaché of the Libyan Embassy in New Delhi, India. He currently resides in Tripoli, the Libyan capital. His poems have been translated into German, Chinese, Spanish, English, Italian, Finnish, French and Swedish. He has published five books of poetry in Arabic. His most recent personal anthology is titled "Fires of the sea, Tenderness of the desert", bilingual: Arab-English, translated by the author and published by Shibani Ahuja Kapoor publishers, New Delhi, 2003.

Última actualización: 28/06/2018