This piece is meant to give voices to admittedly fringe ideas in our community. It aims to highlight the danger of individual voices, as opposed to a more collective voice from the silent Coptic majority in the Diaspora. I hope as you read this, you can identify with some of the ideas but reject some. That’s the point, without your input, these may be the only voices. The names I have given the voices are Ermenites Lampas, and Petra Jof, they do mean something. But that’s for the reader to figure out!
Ermenites Lampas: Hello, are you there? Come with me!
Petra Jof: Where are you taking me?
Ermenites Lampas: Just follow and see!
I want you to open your eyes
And look where we used to be
Look upon the water and the sand
You see, this used to be our land
We used to thrive down there
We used to own it, understand?
Until we came across those who believe
Created, not Begotten, different Adam and Eve
Different words, but it was all about the land
Same human nature? Not if you don’t believe
We too, believed, but it wasn’t the same
Swords, spears, arrows, that was their game
We stood and watched lives taken away
Dhimmis, slaves, and foreigners we became
So, we ran away, to a building you know
Made rules to protect the life that you know
The first rule, proclaimed as a truth
Above the clouds, that’s where we will go
Our kingdom is a world away
Above the clouds, that was the only way
Our home is gone, so remember, you must,
Our family and our land was stolen away
Petra Jof:
I remember, but it no longer the same
Look, they too remember, and sometimes with shame
The past is the past, and it’s not fair
Our poverty and ignorance was essentially the same
And anyway, we ran away
The lands of the free, that’s the new way
Above the clouds that’s where we are
Knowledge is power, Amigo, and it’s a new day
You want things better, or you filing a complaint?
You trying to change the world, or hoping for a saint?
Look, us or them, knowledge is the key
Enlightenment it must be, so we must be constrained
Every ritual and every rule was made to divide
Free, you are not, and you must choose a side
Our rules, their rules, they were all made to separate
Chose as you wish, but the rules must be your guide
And anyway, what would you want me to do?
Forget my home and follow you?
My kingdom is here, not above the clouds
A republic it is, that’s what I wish you knew
Ermenites Lampas:
Ha, and do you think that you know?
Have you even met our foe?
Naïve, arrogant, know it all
Sooner or later, your republic will fall
Collective sacrifice that’s what it took
Already forgot? Let me remind you, person of the book
Your father and mother, their bones were blue
Carrying their heavy crosses, neck and tattoo
And here you are, talking about enlightenment
Already forgotten, and filled with excitement
The new world is just like the old
Just give it some time and hate will be sold
Come back to your people and look up high
Above the clouds, we must go, and take our lands, we must try
Yes, that’s what I want you to do, look upon the water and the sand
The kingdom in heaven? Yes, I want that, but also the land
Egypt is for Christ, the prophesy have foretold
All what we need is for you to be sold!
Look, it either us or them, fake feelings aside
After all, we survived a millennia of genocide
Petra Jof:
So you want me to pick a side?
Us or them, must I decide?
Them AND us, that’s my I am saying
Love over hate, that’s what you should be praying
Ermenites Lampas:
Praying? Now you talking about Praying?
Do you listen to the hate that they are saying?
Did you see the children dying in the Church?
Was the love you speak off there, or did you have to search?
Do you want to prevent our own annihilation?
Then stop it with the obfuscation of information
I am not mourning them; above the clouds that is where they are
I am mourning you, whoever you are, lost and straying a-far
Petra Jof:
My obfuscation is nothing compared to these who you idolize
You know whom I am taking about, the men who decide our tribal lines
Do you want to prevent our own annihilation?
Then you must spread the information
Stop it with rules and the lies
Forget the tribe and rationalize
I am a citizen above all, a member of the republic
The thing that matter is what is good for the public
I cried for the children when they died
I cried also for liberty, but my tears never dried
Above the clouds, that’s where I want us to go
The clouds of ignorance and love for the status quo
Ermenites Lampas:
That’s where we must go, above the clouds
Take our home back from savage crowds
Us or them, that’s the choice
Petra Jof:
Us and them, that’s my choice
And to all those who are listening, speak!
For we must hear your voice
Ca’ve Faishini
The author of this piece has chosen to stay anonymous and publish under the name “Ca’ve Faishini” instead.
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