In the news today:
‘An Iraqi journalist hailed as a hero in the Arab world for throwing his shoes at former US President George W Bush has been jailed for three years. [...] Lawyers had unsuccessfully argued that [Muntadar al-]Zaidi should be tried under article 227 of the penal code, covering public humiliation of a representative of a foreign country, which carries a two-year jail term.
At the earlier court hearing, Zaidi said he had been unable to control his emotions when Mr Bush had said in Arabic “thank you very much” to the assembled journalists.
“I had the feeling that the blood of innocent people was dropping on my feet during the time that he was smiling and coming to say bye-bye to Iraq with a dinner,” he said.
In an interview afterwards, Mr Bush described the incident as “interesting”, “weird” and “unusual”, but he insisted he didn’t harbour any ill feeling about it.
“It was amusing – I’ve seen a lot of weird things during my presidency, and this may rank up there as one of the weirdest,” Mr Bush said.’
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7938947.stm)
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Zaidi’s remarks, as thrown into relief by Bush’s language, produce a vivid and striking image. As found poetry I’m adding them to this site’s tiny collection of poems against war.
Let’s hope for a wave of protest as this brave and honest Iraqi dissident serves three years in prison for, among other things, confounding Bush and the media in their joint mandate to write a certain version of history.
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I had the feeling that the blood of innocent people was dropping on my feet during the time that he was smiling and coming to say bye-bye to Iraq with a dinner–Muntadar al-Zaidi
… ‘After Lunch’
And after noon the well-dressed creatures come
To sniff among the dead
And have their lunch
And all the many well-dressed creatures pluck
The swollen avocados from the dust
And stir the minestrone with stray bones
And after lunch
They loll and lounge about
Decanting claret in convenient skulls
Harold Pinter
(September 2002)
from “War” (Faber & Faber, June 2003)
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