Abbas Chechan is a famous iraqi poet, since I know f%#k all about iraqi poetry, that's all I can tell you about him, plus the fact that his poems (told in coloquial iraqi) are amazing, insightfull, funny, sad, and just a pleasure to listen to.
So, here is a translation for one of his poems.
I am Iraqi, from Amsterdam, I lived there for years and became dutch
I love people, all people, be they white, black, or indian
If I'm hungry or full, I'm the same way, calm and unmoved
I've tried to be good my whole life, and I've never had hate for people
I've a problem that though that touches my inner being, which never leaves my eyes dry
When I head the children of iraq are starving, I melt and my heart breaks
And when I hear a wounded man in iraq is lacking medicine, yelling out to "help me"
My distress my body shuts down from head to toe
oh my opresses people, do not blame me
For a body dead as mine is, can not help you or itself
_____________
This is an extremely rough translations, and unfortunately some part of the meaning of the poem is lost in 1- translations 2- Some old words I don't know, hopefull nawar will check out my blog and tell me if I've made any mistakes.
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