Ebtisam Fakhro sent

The Year Before Last

The holiday season is approaching,

and with it comes the New Year.

Although for me time passes slowly,

New Year's Day will ring in quickly.

I dread this New Year's Day

because they will look at me

in a terribly strange way

when I get misty-eyed,

and talk about something you had done.

After you first left me,

they reasoned when I cried,

"He's only been gone a few months."

And I would catch that look

of understanding in their eyes,

and found some comfort that they knew.

But on last New Year's Day,

my first thought upon awakening was,

Oh God, my loved one died last year,

not just a few months ago,

not even this year,but last year.

He will never live in this year.

They didn't understand, they didn't reason,

that last year, for me, the loss was still new.

They thought, "It happened last year,

so long ago, why does she still cry?"

I could see it in their eyes.

This New Year's Day, will it be different?

Will my first thought upon awakening be,

Oh God, my loved one died the year before last,

not a few months ago, not this year or even last year,

but the year before last?

He will never live in this year.

Will they even listen, should I not look them

in the eyes, for fear that I shall see,

"Why is she still crying? It happened so long ago.

It was the year before last."

Those words that we use

to describe the passage of time,

a few months, this year,

last year, the year before last.

They don't know that time stands still for me.

Will they understand that's why I cry?

Don't they know

my loved one just died ...

the year before last?

Author Unknown

A Child Loaned

"I'll lend you for a little time

A child of Mine." He said.

"For you to love the while he lives

And mourn for when he's dead.

It may be six or seven year

Or twenty-two or three

But will you, till I call him back

Take care of him for Me?

He'll bring his charms to gladden you

And should his stay be brief,

You'll have his lovely memories

As solace for your grief.

I cannot promise he will stay

Since all from Earth return,

But there are lessons taught down there

I want the child to learn.

I've looked this wide world over

In my search for teacher's true,

And from the throngs that crowd life's lanes,

I have selected you;

Now will you give him all your love,

Nor think the labour vain

Nor hate Me when I come to call

And take him back again?

I fancied that I heard them say,

"Dear Lord, They will be done,

For all the joy Thy child shall bring,

For the risk of grief we'll run.

We'll shelter him with tenderness,

We'll love him while we may,

And for the happiness we've known,

Forever grateful stay.

But should the angels call for him

Much sooner than we planned,

We'll brave the bitter grief that comes

And try to understand."

Anonymous

The New Food Rush

This story takes place in the year 9000.
There was a new food rush on planet Mars. I rushed to Mars climbing the new rope that I invented that goes higher and higher. I know your question right now" Why are you rushing to Mars for a food rush?" Well I'll tell you why it's because all the food in the world finished and the king of the world threatened that he would eat humans so we went to Mars to leave planet Earth and eat some food. It took me a couple of months to reach Mars. Actually, I am not good at reading maps so I ended up in planet Koochi Kawa but I was filled with food and I was the only one there and then I ate and ate and ate. I decided to live in planet Koochi Kawa. One day I went back to earth and got all of my belongings to planet Koochi Kawa. Then I found out that in my planet the food kept on coming automatically and that in Mars there was one measly grape.

Samar Al Ansari
Grade 5D
April 11,1999

My First Grade One Journal Cont....(14)

On Joy and Sorrow

When you are joyous,look into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.
When you are sorrowful, look again in your heart,and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.

From The Prophet,by Khalil Gibran

Thank you friend

Thank you friend for always being there for me
And seeing what I saw and did not see

I am blessed to have you by my side
At good times, bad times, and when I lost my child

You have accepted the person I became
And realized that your friend can not be the same!

Friend, you have never asked me to change
And never considered any of my behaviors strange

You have decided to walk with me at my pace
And understood that no one can take Samar's place

You respected my daily sorrow and tears
And appreciated my strength in facing my loss and fears

You wished me patience and serenity of the soul
And prayed that God helps me survive living with my hole

You even joined me in appreciating the sunrise
This significant act dear friend is not a surprise!

Although the burden you carry is not small
You never shy away from listening to me, not at all

Thank you for always tolerating my talk
About my beloved Samar, since the days she started to walk

Although seeing me immersed in grief is painful to you
You are always there for me, the friend I knew

With you dear friend, I will always feel free
To talk about my loss at any stage or degree

I am grateful that you do not push me to move along
And acknowledge my pain and listen to my song

Thank you dear friend for all the support
And God bless you, for the comfort you brought

Randah R. Hamadeh, 2007, Copyright©

Written in loving memory of my daughter, Samar Ahmed Al Ansari

مقالة

السؤال: هل تعتقد أن الرجل ينظر إلى المرأة بعين المساواة أم يعتبرها مخلوقا أقل شأنا منه؟أعط رأيك مبينا أهم جوانب هذه القضية

لو شاهدنا الأخبار أو قرأنا الجرائد سنرى أن الكثير من النساء أصبحن وزيرات أو أعضاء في البرلمان، وسفراء، الخ....إن العصر الذي نعيش فيه أعطى المرأة فرص كثيرة لكي تثبت قيمتها في المجتمع ولكن بالرغم من كل هذا، انه من المؤسف أن بعض أفراد المجتمع لا ينظرون إليها بالتقدير والاحترام الذي تستحقه وأن بعض الرجال لا يزالون ينظرون إليها كمخلوق أقل شأنا منهم. يا ليتنا نستطيع أن نقول أن هذه النظرة فقط موجودة في عالمنا ولكنها موجودة في عالم الخيال أيضا، عالم الكتب.إن الكثير من القصص تظهر المرأة كمخلوقا أقل شأنا من الرجل وتقلل من كرامتها وقيمتها.فيا ترى هل الرجل ينظر إلى المرأة بعين المساواة في القصتين "بقايا صور" لحنا مينة و"مدام بوفاري"لفلوبير؟

انه واضح كل الوضوح للقارئ إن الوالد في "بقايا صور"لم يحترم المرأة ولم ينظر إليها بعين المساواة.أولا، خيانته لزوجته تبين قلة احترامه لها.لقد خانها أمام الجميع غير مهتما بسمعتها ومشاعرها.فبالنسبة إليه المرأة موجودة لتلبي رغباته و ليس من واجبه مراعاة مشاعرها. كما أن خيانته توضح للقارئ عدم احترامه للمرأة بشكل أخر، فانه استغل تلك الأرملة وأقام علاقة معها لكي يلبي رغباته واحتياجاته. الوالد في "بقايا صور"أناني واستغل النساء بشكل مستمر لكي يرفه عن نفسه
أكبر دليل على نظر الوالد إلى المرأة كمخلوق أقل شأنا منه فرضه على بناته أن يعملن كخادمات غير مراعيا مشاعرهن ومستقبلهن وطفولتهن

أرسل الوالد بناته ليعملن كخادمات لكي تتحسن حالة الأسرة المادية. لقد ضحت البنات بطفولتهن لكي يرعوا العائلة وعشن معذبات لكي يساعدن العائلة فهل حياتهن أرخص أو اقل قيمة من حياة الوالد الذي لا يعمل ولا ينفق على عائلته؟ ويلاحظ القارئ أيضا إن الوالد لم يفرض على حنا مينة العمل، فيا ترى أين المساواة؟ الوالد عامل بناته كحيوانات واستغل حبهن للعائلة لكي يحصل على ما يريده
كان والد حنا مينة رجلا عابثا، خائنا، وزوجا وأبا سيئا للغاية، ولكن هل انتقده المجتمع؟هل فعل أحد شيئا؟لم يعترض أحد على الوالد لأنه "الرجل"، فيا ترى أين المساواة؟ لو كانت والدة حنا مينة الخائنة لأدانها الجميع ولو تطلعنا إلى القصة بعمق سنرى أن في الخاتمة خال الأم هو الذي أنقذ العائلة وليست امرأة مما يدل على نظرة المجتمع للرجل كمنقذ
إن رواية "مدام بوفاري" تظهر المرأة كمخلوقا أقل شأنا من الرجل.أولا ،لنأخذ عنوان هذه الرواية :لماذا لقبت أمية بمدام بوفاري؟

ألا تستحق المرأة أن يكون لها شخصية منفردة عن زوجها؟إن الرجل يتعالى على المرأة لدرجة انه يفرض عليها اسمه. أليس من حق المرأة أن يكون لها أراء وأفكار خاصة بها ؟
لو تطلعنا إلى خيانة أمية سنرى انه لا يوجد مساواة بين الرجل و المرأة. أولا، أراد فلوبير أن يدين خيانة أمية فنظم شخصيتها بطريقة تجعل القارئ لا يشفق عليها دون أن يظهر الأسباب التي دفعتها إلى الخيانة فربما كان شارل لا يقوم بواجباته الزوجية وقد يكون ذلك سبب رئيسي وراء خيانتها.القارئ يلوم أمية على خيانتها ولكن في الحقيقة اللوم لا يقع كليا عليها فان رودولف وليون شاركاها أيضا ولكن القارئ لا يلومهما لأنهما رجلان عازبان. إن رودولف وليون استغلا أمية مما يظهر عدم احترامهما للمرأة فلو كانا يحترمانها لاحترما أنها امرأة متزوجة واحترما أسرتها. إن انتحار أمية في خاتمة القصة تظهر ضعف المرأة مقارنة بالرجل، فأين المساواة؟ هل المرأة ضعيفة لدرجة إنها لا تستطيع أن تتعايش مع مصائبها؟فشارل لم ينتحر، بل مات من أسباب طبيعية. المرأة ليست ضعيفة لهذه الدرجة ولكن فلوبير أراد أن يظهرها بذلك الشكل

ان الروايتين "بقايا صور" و"مدام بوفاري"تدوران على فكرة الخيانة ولكن هناك فرق كبير بين خيانة والد حنا مينة و خيانة أمية. إن والد حنا مينة خان زوجته أمام الجميع لأنه كان يعرف ان المجتمع لن يدينه كونه رجلا.ولكن أمية أقامت علاقتيها مع رودلف وليون بالسر خوفا من انتقاد المجتمع لها . كما أن القارئ يلوم الأرملة على الخيانة ولكنه لا يلوم رودولف وليون. اللوم لا يقع كليا على أمية ولكن القارئ يلومها على كل شئ فقط لأنها امرأة

انه من المؤسف أن لا يوجد مساواة بين الرجل والمرأة حتى في عالم القصص.انه واضح أن والد حنا مينة في "بقايا صور" نظر إلى المرأة كمخلوق أقل شأن منه فانه عامل بناته بطريقة غير إنسانية و خان زوجته مما يظهر عدم احترامه لها. أما في "مدام بوفاري" إن المجتمع ينظر إلى أمية كمخلوق أقل شأن من الرجل ولامها كليا على خيانتها

سمر أحمد الأنصاري

الصف الحادي عشر

Neverness

It’s the neverness that is so painful.
Never again to be here with us…..never
to sit with us at the table, never to
travel with us, never to laugh with us,
never to cry with us, never to embrace us,
as he leaves to school, never to see his
brothers and sisters marry. All the rest of
our lives we must live without him. Only
death can stop the pain of his
death. A month, a year, five years…
with that I could live….but not this
forever.

I step out into the moist, moldy fragrance
of a summer morning and arm in arm with
my enjoyment comes the realization that
never again will he smell this.

One small misstep and now this neverness

Nicholas Wolterstorrf
From Lament for a son

The beginning of a draft of a personal statement...

Surrounded by cups of cold tea, I sat in a mess of papers. It was almost midnight, and I was getting nowhere on my personal statement. Staring at the crumpled pieces of paper in my trash bin, I swallowed down tears of frustration. I was so tempted to go collapse on my bed, but I was determined to accomplish one of the several things I had to do by the next day. After staring at my laptop for what must have been half an hour, I decided I needed to reenergize by making myself more tea. As I ran down the several flights of stairs, I tripped over the many Persian carpets my father collected, and began to curse my luck. Before making a turn to the kitchen, I noticed a light was on in the majlis and I went to shut it off. As I approached the majlis, the familiar aroma of incense washed over me making me forget all my troubles instantaneously. The ever so comforting scent lured me into the majlis to find my grandmother who was visiting from Saudi Arabia knitting Palestinian designs on cushions.

The effects of the incense wore off as I heard my grandmother ask the question that always seemed to infuriate me, “So tell me habeebti, did you finish your work?’. My grandmother’s painful reminder triggered suppressed tears leaving me disgusted with my childlike behavior as I tasted the saltiness of the combination of my tears and eye make up.

Samar Al Ansari
Grade 12

SAMAR's Math Copybook (class 3D)

لماذا يا دنيا؟

لماذا يا دنيا حبيبتي سمر مني أخذت؟
!وأن أنعم بها وبذريتها، ما بغيت
ولقب الثكلى علي أطلقت
وأقسى العقوبات عليَ يا دنيا، أوقعت
ونارا ً لا تخمد في قلبي المسكين، أشعلت
وحريقا ً يتجدد إن سكن َ، أوقدت
وعتمة ً لا سواد بعدها، في عيوني أنرت
وعلى أمل نيلها أعلى شهادة‘ قضيت
وأن أراها عروسا ً بثوب الزفاف، أبيت
أخذتا ً مني الآمال التي لسمر أضأت
"وكأنك تقولي لي "كفاك من الحياة ما أبصرت
ولكنها يا دنيا الابنة التي إياي أعطيت
والفرحة التي بيتنا بها أفرحت
والشعلة التي نورت منزلنا وأطفأت
وبغيابها جميعنا أشقيت
وأبواب الأمل التي بحياتنا أقفلت
لماذا يا دنيا ابنتي سمر، اخترت
وتعذيبي كل لحظة أردت
فهل بسلبك سمر مني، انتعشت؟
ولما تركتني عطشى، ارتويت؟
ألست أنا أم سمر التي تحبك وأحببت؟
!ليتك يا دنيا تعيدي لي ابنتي التي وهبت

رنده ربحي حماده
(أم سمر)
جميع الحقوق محفوظة للمؤلفة© 2007

Tears in Heaven

To the innocence and purity of all the young souls in the world, past and present; to the youthful spirit we still hold within ourselves.
Yasmine.

Click on link : http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=GcQQsLvzOJg

Did I Teach You Too Well About Heaven?

Did I Teach You Too Well About Heaven?
Did I make it sound too good?
Were so very eager to get there,
That you went before you should?

I didn’t want you to be afraid,
To be doubtful or unsure.
I described a wonderful happen to you,
And made you feel secure.

I know you believed unfailingly,
In God and the immortal soul;
In a heaven where loved ones reunite,
Broken families are once again whole.

Did I teach you too well about heaven?
When the angel of death came to call,
You left without struggle or argument;
Without any objection at all.

When you were still a child,
As your mother I assuaged your fears.
I never imagined you’d be so convinced,
Or sacrifice so many years.

If I taught you too well about heaven,
And you willingly entered the light,
I hope heaven is all that I promised.
God, I beg and I pray I was right.

Madelaine Perri Kasden
Written in Loving Memory of Her Son,
Neill Perri, 10/2/71-6/15/95

SAMAR's Drawings(13),Class 5D

My First Grade One Journal....(13)

Candle Lighting December 9,2007

Light a candle for SAMAR

Follow the link below to know more about candle lighting

http://www.compassionatefriends.org/2007_WCL/2007_WCL_Intro.htm

Traditions

Handing down to new generations, beliefs, opinions, customs, stories, skills.

Other traditions are that every year, two weeks or more before Eid Al Adha we grow a plant called Haya Beya. Then the night before Eid Al Adha we throw the plant in the sea and sing a song. The meaning of this is before in Bahrain most of the children's fathers would be divers that go get pearls. Most of the divers would die because of sharks and other stuff. So the children would give the sea their Haya Bayas so it would give their fathers in return, because they were scared their fathers would die.
It's better to do this between sunset till night time.

Samar Al Ansari
Grade 5D
March 23,1999

IF I KNEW

If I knew it would be the last time that I'd see you fall asleep,

I would tuck you in more tightly and pray the Lord, your soul to keep.

If I knew it would be the last time that I see you walk out the door,

I would give you a hug and kiss and call you back for one more

If I knew it would be the last time I'd hear your voice lifted up in praise,

I would video tape each action and word, so I could play them back day after day.

If I knew it would be the last time I could spare an extra minute

to stop and say "I love you," instead of assuming you would KNOW I do.

If I knew it was your last one I would be there to share your day
well I'm sure you'll have so many more so I can let just this one slip away

For surely there's always tomorrow to make up for an oversight,

and we always get a second chance to make everything just right.

There will always be another day to say "I love you,"

And certainly there's another chance to say our "Anything I can do?"

But just in case I might be wrong, and today is all I get,

I'd like to say how much I love you and I hope we never forget.

Tomorrow is not promised to anyone young or old alike,

and today may be the last chance you get to hold your loved one tight.

So if you're waiting for tomorrow, why not do it today?

For if tomorrow never comes, you' ll surely regret the day,

That you didn't take that extra time for a smile, a hug, or a kiss

and you were too busy to grant someone what turned out to be their one last wish.

So hold your loved ones close today, and whisper in their ear,

Tell them how much you love them and that you'll always hold them dear

Take time to say "I'm sorry," "Please forgive me," "Thank you," or "It's okay."

And if tomorrow never comes, you'll have no regrets about today.

Sender: Olga Helou

I Wish

Mother, I never imagined you'll be standing at my grave
Praying, chatting with me, fearless and brave

Mother, I know you are so miserable and sad
And no one can ease your pain, even Dad

I know your happy days with me are gone
Can a mother ever be content after losing a daughter or a son?

Life will forever be to you incomplete
And joyful events will always be bittersweet

Mother, rest assured that I hear your cries
And listen to your aching heart and silent sighs

I wish I can come and wipe away your flowing tears
Including the dry ones that no one but me sees and hears

Oh Mother, I wish I could ease your pain
And for your sake, bring myself back to life again

Randah R. Hamadeh , 2007, Copyright©
Written in loving memory of my daughter, Samar Ahmed Al Ansari

My First Grade One Journal Cont...(12)

Parable of Immortality

by: Henry Van Dyke

I’m standing upon the sea shore

A white ship at my side is spreading her white sails to the morning breeze

And starts for the blue ocean

She is an object of beauty and strength

I stand and watch her, until she hangs like a speck of white

Cloud just as sea and sky seem to mingle with each other

Then someone at my side says

“There. She’s gone”

“Gone where?”

“Gone from my sight”

That is all

She’s just as large and mast and whole

As she was when she left my sight

And she’s just as able to bare her load of living freight

To their destined port

Her diminished size is in me

Not in her

And just at the moment when someone at my side says

“There, she is gone”

There are other eyes watching her coming

And other voices ready to take up the glad shout

“Here she comes”

And that is dying

(Submitted by Qadar Ahmed Al Ansari)

Con Te Partrio (I'll go with you)

To Oum Sammar with thoughts about her journey through loss, pain, and yearning. We are always near you dear Oum Sammar, to assist you along this path. Sammar has lit a shimmer of light in all our hearts, and her spirit continues to shine for each one of us beyond the horizons.

In deep friendship, Yasmine Fahim, Oum Mohammad and Waleed Al Bassam

Con Te Partiro (Italian and English Versions).

Quando sono solo

sogno all'orizzonte

e mancan le parole

si lo so che non c'e luce

in una stanza quando manca il sole

se non ci sei tu con me

Su le finestre

mostra a tutti il mio cuore

che hai acceso

chiudi dentro me

la luce che

hai incontrato per strada

Con te partiro

paesi che non ho mai

veduto e vissuto con te

adesso si li vivro

Con te partiro

su navei per mari

che io lo so

no no non esistono piu

con te io li vivro

Quando sei lontana

sogno all'orizzonte

e mancan le parole

e io si lo so

che sei con me con me

tu mia luna tu sei qui con me

mio sole tu sei qui con me

con me con me con me

Con te partiro

paesi che non ho mai

veduto e vissuto con te

adesso si li vivro

Con te partiro

che io lo so

no no non esistono

piucon te io li rivivro

Con te partiro

su navi per mari

che io lo so

no no non esistono piu

con te io li rivivro

Con te partiro

lo con te


I'LL GO WITH YOU

(Con te Partiro-English Translation)(E. Sartori - L.Quarantotto)

When I'm alone

I dream on the horizon

And words fail

Yes, I know there is no light

In a room where the sun is absent

If you are not with me

At the windows

Show everone my heart

Which you set alight

Enclose within me

The light you

Encountered on the street

I'll go with you

To countries I never

Saw and shared with you

Now, yes, I shall experience them

I'll go with you

On ships across seas

Which, I know,

No, no, exist no longer

With you I shall experience them

When you are far away

I dream on the horizon

And words fail

And yes, I know

That you are with me

You, my moon, are here with me

My sun, you are here with me

I'll go with you

To countries I never

Saw and shared with you

Now, yes, I shall experience them

I'll go with you

On ships across seas

Which, I know,

No, no, exist no longer

With you I shall experience them again

I'll go with you

On ships across seas

Which, I know,

No, no, exist no longer

With you I shall experience them again

I'll go with you

I with you