Fire mirror
Egypt, Literature, 7/25/1997

A collection of poems entitled "Fire Mirror" was recently published in Cairo. The poems were written by the well-known Egyptian poet and critic Ahmad Samahah. The book comprises eleven poems in 117 pages.

Samahah's topics vary from the homelands and women's love to heritage inspiration and the Egyptian folklore. His love for woman is clear in his "Amity":

"I love you As a virgin wood untrodden before me and a talisman which cannot be opened or be solved as 'Jinn' power I love you. As a palm dances in the sun."

In "Homeland," Samahah stresses his deep love for Egypt. He starts:

A homeland of pain
Sitting in the blossom of my heart
I exchange with him
A tear for a tear

In 1967 after the June setback, Samahah wrote a poem about the occupied Sinai:

Allah be blessed Ivy tree has scattered in the desert Weeping has had a home calamity has had a book at the gates between beloved Sinai and ours had been closed.

In his long poem "The story of Ahmed and Isis," the poet is inspired by the old pharonic heritage and the Arabic and Islamic heritage of Egypt. In the first part of the poem, Ahmed expresses his deep affection for Egypt where the Nile is flowing in her chest, he chants:

I chant you
Let the Nile flood from your childish breast

In the second part, he symbolizes his country as a woman called Isis (the name is derived from the old Egyptian civilization) he sings:

Be green like trees, be green tie the tales of intimacy over your lips
Open your smile as the delta of the Nile
Push me inside the eye's gates
Follow me, get drunk from my love wine
Rain is my heart
Rain is my blood Rain is my love I love you Isis

In the final part, the poet expresses his deep love towards Egypt after a long absence abroad. Tenderly, he stresses his coming back, he writes:

"I come: traveling on the breeze I come: inside my eyes a dream I come: My blood is flooding out of my wounds I weep over your heart as pulses You weep: a sun rises again from the ribs your voice is a prophet's calling upon me: let's go. Open for your morning boat, all gates Inscribe on the highest sail two names: Ahmed and Isis."

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