Ana Yusuf ya Abi

Ana Yusuf ya Abi

by Mahmoud Darwish

O my father, I am Joseph. O father, my brothers neither love me nor want me in
their midst, O my
Father, they assault me and cast stones and words at me. They want me to die so
They can eulogize me. They closed the door of your house and left me outside.
They expelled me from the field. They
Poisoned my grapes, O my father. They destroyed my toys, O my father. When
the passing gentle wind played with
My hair they were jealous, they flamed up with rage against me and you. What
did I do to them, O my father?
The butterflies stopped on my shoulder, the ears of grain bent down to me and
the birds hovered over
My hands. What have I done, O my father? And why me? You named me
Joseph and they
Threw me into the well and accused the wolf, though the wolf is more merciful
than my brothers, O my father!
Did I wrong anyone when I said that I saw eleven stars, and the sun
And the moon, I saw them bowing down before me.